Home Again
by Edelweiss Dragonborn
Summary: This takes place after Dragons 2, and on an alternate timeline to Change by Splendidguy44. Serenity returns to Berk for a visit since she was sick during the events of the second films. She reconnects with the dragon friends, and with a friend she'd thought was gone for good.
1. Chapter 1

Home Again

Serenity and Tenor flew through the snow air. They were on their way to Berk. Serenity had just recovered from malaria. She had been unable to go to Berk with Re, Aurora, and Tenor when they went three weeks earlier. She was on her way to make up for lost time. She hadn't been to Berk in years and she was excited to see her friends again.

They were quiet as they crossed into the Archipelago. Snow fell lightly. Serenity suspected that Berk would be readying itself for the winter holiday, Snoggletog.

They saw more and more dragons as they got closer to Berk. They all shouted hello as they passed. Serenity shouted hello back in Dragontongue. Tenor kept his focus on flying. Berk was dead ahead. The wild dragons went back to fishing and Serenity and Tenor had the sky to themselves again.

But then suddenly Serenity got the feeling she was being watched. She sat up in the saddle and looked around. She saw nothing but sea, snow, and clouds. Tenor paused and looked over his wing.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Someone's watching us," Serenity said. Tenor glanced around.

"I'm not getting anything," he said. "But if anyone come out, i'll be ready for them." He thrust his wings back and continued forward. Serenity was still getting the feeling. Suddenly she heard the rush of big wings and was yanked off the saddle sharpish. Tenor roared in outrage. Serenity looked up to see a huge owl shaped dragon that was the color of rust. She was clutched in its huge talons. Serenity could barely see a rider on the dragon's back. She struggled to free herself.

"Let me go," she cried helplessly. "Please." The dragon glanced down at her. He didn't say anything. Serenity could feel his talons cutting into her shoulders. She struggled to get free, but the dragon had a strong grip.

"Help!" she cried. Tenor came flying at them and fired a plasma blast at the dragon's legs. He let got and Serenity fell screaming towards the ocean. Suddenly she was snatched up again by a different dragon. She looked up to see that a red Monstrous Nightmare had caught her. He glanced down and smiled at her.

"Hookfang," Serenity said, recognizing the dragon.

"Hey beautiful," said Hookfang. "Sorry about that, Valka hasn't met you yet. She has a bit of a hard time trusting new characters."

"Oh," said Serenity. "Where's Tenor?"

"We'll meet him on Berk," said Hookfang. "We're nearly there." He sped up and was joined by his fellow dragons and their riders: Astrid and Stomfly, Fishlegs and Meatlug, the Twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut on their Zippleback Barf and Belch. The only ones not present were Hiccup and Toothless. Serenity suspected they were very busy now that they were both leaders.

At long last they reached the village. It was all decorated for Snoggletog. Dragons and humans bustled about as usual. Serenity took in the recent updates to the village. She saw the water tower, the weather vane, the windmill, and the dragon hanger. Hookfang gently set Serenity on the ground, then landed. The other dragons landed as well. Tenor landed as well. He rushed over to Serenity.

"Are you okay?" he asked, sniffing her all over.

"I'm a bit shaky but, I'm okay," Serenity said. She leaned on Tenor. She then turned to Hookfang.

"Thank you Hookfang," she said. The red dragon nodded in response. Just then the big rust colored dragon landed next to the other dragons, and the rider dismounted. Serenity moved closer to Tenor. Valka took off her helmet and set her staff down. Tenor growled and went into a fighting stance.

"What is the meaning for this?" Tenor asked.

"I thought you were trespassing," Valka explained. "It's an old habit I'm trying to kick. Twenty years of fighting dragon hunters, I've become slightly paranoid of people I haven't met. I've never met your rider, so I didn't know her intentions."

"I was hoping to make up for lost time," said Serenity, shakily. "I couldn't come up here with the others last time because I was ill." She was massaging her shoulders, which were bleeding and very sore.

"You're the dragon healer Re and Aurora mentioned," said Valka.

"Yes, I'm Serenity." Tenor relaxed his fighting stance, but stayed close to Serenity. Valka carefully walked up to Serenity. She backed up, still frightened.

"It's okay," said Valka. "I'm not going to hurt you. I'm Valka, Hiccup's long lost mother. The is Cloudjumper." Serenity glanced at the large owl shaped dragon. He was staring her with curiosity and concern. He slowly approached. Serenity didn't move, Cloudjumber didn't seem threatening anymore.

"I hope I didn't hurt you to much," he said.

"I've had worse, much worse," said Serenity. Both Cloudjumper and Valka looked surprised.

"You can talk to dragons?" said Valka.

"Dragontongue is my primary language," said Serenity. "I'm the only human alive who can."

"Fascinating," said Valka. "How are your shoulders?" Serenity pulled her hands away from her shoulders. There were two puncture wounds in each shoulder, and they were still bleeding.

"They're very sore," said Serenity. "I should get something on them so they don't get infected."

"Here comes someone who can help with that," said Tenor. They followed his gaze and saw Hiccup and Toothless coming out of the great hall, followed my the other riders. Toothless flashed a huge gummy smile and wiggled excitedly. Heh bounded down the steps and nuzzled Serenity's cheek. Serenity finally relaxed and stroked his muzzle.

"Hey handsome," she said, amused. Toothless purred and leaned into her touch. Serenity threw her arms around his neck, and he hugged her back.

"It's good to see you," he said. "It's been so long, we really missed you."

"I missed you too," Serenity said. She let go of him, but kept petting him as she acknowledged the other riders.

"Serenity, glad to see you," Hiccup said. "We missed you last time."

"I was very sick," said Serenity. "I could hardly open my eyes, let alone ride a dragon."

"I see you've met my mother already," said Hiccup, glancing between Serenity and Valka.

"Yup," Serenity said, putting a hand over one of her wounded shoulders. "Her dragon has sharp claws." Toothless saw her bleeding shoulders and licked them with his special saliva. Serenity patted his neck gratefully.

"My mom can patch that up for you," said Hiccup. They all looked at Valka, who seemed eager.

"Sure, it's the least I can do to make it up to you," she said.

"Alright," said Serenity.

"We can tell you everything you missed," said Hiccup as they headed for his house.

"Re and Aurora told me everything," said Serenity. She turned to Toothless again. "You're the big boss now." Toothless crooned proudly, and held himself tall.

"That's right," he said. "I have the right to dump you into the ocean if you misbehave." Serenity giggled and scratched him behind ears.

They went inside the house. Valka got right to work patching up Serenity's wounded shoulders. While she worked they talked some more. Valka was very curious about Serenity's life.

"So you're the only human in the dragon's homeland," she said.

"Yes," said Serenity. "Draconia is a safe haven from the rest of the world. Some of the dragons there like me and some don't. But they don't harm me because Re forbids it."

"How long have you lived there?" Valka asked.

"Since I was five," said Serenity. "I was raised by my guardian dragon, Ruby."

"And he taught you how to talk to dragons?" said Valka.

"He taught me everything about dragons," said Serenity. "Even though I learned my trade from the country's Healer Dragons, he taught me everything else. Such as how dragons breathe fire, the history of the dragons, how many dragon species were out there, he also taught me Draconian culture. He motivated me to go into healing."

"When did you first meet him?" asked Valka.

"The family I was originally living with abused me heavily," said Serenity. "Ruby was the first creature to ever show me kindness. When that family threw me out, he took me away from there and brought me to Draconia. Ruby now has a mate, named Harmony. Tenor is yet to find one. So I'm sticking with him until he does." At that moment Valka finished.

"Thank you," said Serenity.

"So, how long do you plan to stay?" Hiccup asked.

"I plan on staying on Berk for a week," said Serenity. "But then I plan to visit the rest of the Archipelago before I head home."

"Very well," said Hiccup. "You staying in your old hospital?"

"Yes," said Serenity. She got to her feet and went outside where Tenor was waiting with Toothless and Cloudjumper.

"All better?" asked Tenor.

"All better," Serenity answered. She mounted him and they headed up a steep hill towards the patch of land Stoic had given her to treat wounded dragons.

They soon arrived at the hospital. The lawn and hut were in the shadow of a huge golden apple tree. Unlike the rest of the trees on the island, it didn't have a speck of snow on it. The leaves, bark, twigs, wood, and fruit were all a rich golden color. It seemed to glow in the sunlight. Sitting in the tree's shade were all the rider's dragons were resting their wings. They sat up when Serenity and Tenor approached.

"Serenity, glad to see you weren't too badly hurt," said Hookfang.

"Thanks for catching me Hookfang," said Serenity. She hugged his snout. She sat in her armchair by the fire pit. Tenor leaped onto a low branch of the tree.

"When do you all leave for migration?" Tenor asked.

"At the end of this week," said Stormfly. "We want to help our riders with their holiday decorations before we go."

"Will you come with us again?" asked Meatlug.

"I will visit," said Serenity. "But I want to visit the other dragons in this area. I haven't seen them in a while. Anyway, how are you guys liking your new alpha?"

"Toothless still sees us as his friends, rather than his subjects," said Hookfang. "I can tell he will be a good leader."

"Well good," said Serenity.

"You should have seen him take on that Bewilderbeast," said Barf, energized. "It was amazing, I've never seen anything like it."

"I have," said Belch.

"Oh, shut up," said Barf. Everyone giggled.

"He did all by himself?" asked Serenity.

"Pretty much," said Stormfly. "Though, he gives credit to us and Hiccup as well. He's so sweet."

"I don't think any dragon could take him down," said Hookfang. "Except maybe another Night Fury, and no disrespect you Prime Minister sir, but I'm talking about a real purebred Night Fury. Toothless hasn't gone up against one of those yet." Meatlug then changed the subject.

"How's Draconia doing?" she asked. "Re said volcanoes erupted."

"Yup, very violently too," said Tenor, he sounded thrilled. "No one was killed luckily."

"Are you tired Serenity?" asked Stormfly. "You've flown along ways."

"No, I've flown for longer," said Serenity. "I'll be ok."

"You haven't Eret yet," said Stormfly. "I think you will like him." Serenity leaned back in her chair.

"You're not trying to set me up are you?" she asked.

"No," said Stormfly. "Well, maybe a little bit." Serenity smiled.

"What's he like?" she asked.

"He's pretty funny," said Hookfang. "He rides Skullcrusher now."

"Well good," said Serenity. "I would imagine it helps poor Skullcrusher overcome his loss."

"Indeed," said Meatlug. "Eret used to be a dragon trapper before Stormfly turned his head." Serenity frowned and clutched her neck.

"A dragon trapper," she said. The dragons could guess what she was nervous about.

"Don't worry, he's not at all like Viggo," said Stormfly. "He's not going to chain you up." Serenity lowered her hand, but still looked nervous."

"How about you come meet him," said Tenor, leaping down. "I assure you, he's harmless."

"Alright," said Serenity. She got to her feet. She mounted Tenor and they all went down to the plaza.

The vikings and dragons were busy with the holiday decorations. Hiccup and Toothless were both helping and supervising.

"There he is," said Stormfly. She pointed with her wing towards Skullcrusher flying overhead. On his back was a man about her age. Stormfly flapped her wings to flag them down. Skullcrusher saw this and landed next to them. Serenity studied the man on his back. He was a typical viking build. He wore a lot of fur around his shoulders. His black hair was pulled back into a bun, and he had strange blue markings on his chin. His face lit up when he saw Serenity.

"You must be Eret," Serenity said.

"Aye, that I am," said Eret, trying to sound impressive. "You must be Serenity." Serenity smiled at him as she dismounted.

"I've heard a lot about you," Eret said. "You're way prettier than I pictured." Serenity casually stroked Skullcrusher's snout. Eret jumped to the ground. He slowly approached her.

"Hiccup says you're good with dragon," he said.

"Better than I am with people," said Serenity. Eret noticed that she suddenly seemed nervous.

"You don't have to be afraid, I'm not going to do anything to you," Eret said. Serenity relaxed a bit. She looked over at Tenor, who gave her an encouraging smile.

"Say, how much of this place have you seen?" Eret asked.

"Well, I've been here several times before," said Serenity.

"Yeah, but you haven't been back here in many years," Eret pointed out. "Things have changed." Serenity considered. She went back to stand beside Tenor. "Plus Hiccup said you've never really had anyone to fly with." Tenor looked down at his rider.

"It's true Serenity," he said. "This would be very good for you." At last Serenity sighed.

"Alright," she said. Eret beamed and held his arm out to her. She hesitated, then took it. As they walked off Skullcrusher turned to Tenor.

"She doesn't trust him," he said.

"She doesn't know him," Tenor pointed out. "And the last time she met a dragon trapper, she was chained up by him. It's a rational fear." He and Skullcrusher hurried to catch up with them.

The rest of the day was spent with Eret showing Serenity all the new additions to Berk. Serenity could hardly recognize the place. She was really impressed with all the updates, especially when she saw the dragon hanger. She remembered when it was just a big cave created by Whispering Deaths and a Screaming Death. It reminded her of the Draconian Castle, as it too had once been just caves. A lot of the dragons in there either smiled at her as they passed, or just looked curious.

When the tour finally ended, the sun was setting. Serenity, Eret, and their dragons returned to the plaza. Hiccup and Toothless were just wrapping the day's excitements. When Toothless spotted Serenity he smiled big and trotted over to her. She smiled back and petted his muzzle.

"Why does he like you so much?" Eret asked.

"Because I'm nice to him," said Serenity. Hiccup joined them.

"How do you like all my hard work?" he asked.

"Impressive, I hardly recognize the place," said Serenity. "But I'm guessing it was not all you."

"It wasn't," said Hiccup. "But it all came from my head." Serenity looked at Toothless.

"Is that true?" she asked.

"Yeah," Toothless replied. "Basically." He wormed his head back under Serenity's hand.

"What do you plan to do tomorrow?" Hiccup asked. Serenity looked over at Tenor. He shrugged, indicating he didn't care.

"I might fly some more," Serenity said. "I've been bed ridden for a long time, I've really missed flying."

"My mother's training the others tomorrow," said Hiccup. "Maybe you can show here what you know."

"Yeah, maybe," said Serenity. "I'll sleep on it."

"Oh hey, check this out," Toothless said suddenly. Serenity looked at him and he split his back spines. Serenity smiled.

"Wow, that is special," she said. "I've never met a dragon who could do that." Toothless pranced on the spot, clapping his spines.

"Yeah, Valka helped me discover that," he said. "Aurora said you could do it too cousin." He looked at Tenor. Tenor also split his spines, clapping them together. Serenity yawned.

"I should head back up to my tree," she said. "It's getting late."

"Sure," said Hiccup. Serenity kissed Toothless on the snout, then mounted Tenor. They turned and walked up towards the apple tree.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day, Serenity flew on Tenor around the island. Loads of dragons were doing the same. Serenity noticed that the village was still confined to that one rock, and didn't expand to the rest of the island. She suspected that Hiccup was giving that land to the wild dragons. She smiled quietly as she saw the wild dragons flying about without a care in the world.

Soon they flew aways from the island and Serenity let Tenor do what he wanted. He flew aimlessly at high speed. Little did they know that they were being watched by Valka and Cloudjumper. Valka was very curious about Serenity. She seemed to have just as much passion and respect for dragons as Valka and Hiccup did. She watched as Serenity and Tenor started flying straight again. Valka steered Cloudjumper down to them. Cloudjumper let out a roar to announce their presence. Serenity about fell out of the saddle in surprise and stayed low to Tenor's neck. Cloudjumber pulled along side them.

"It's okay, I'm not going to grab you this time," he said. Serenity relaxed and steadied herself in the saddle.

"You seem to be very jumpy and skittish," said Valka.

"I don't have many human friends," said Serenity. "I don't know who to trust."

"I fully understand perfectly," Valka said. "I don't know who to trust either, which is why I was suspicious of you approaching the island. But it's okay, you don't have to fear me." Serenity took a few deep breaths and fully relaxed.

"So how many dragon friends do you have?" Valka asked.

"Hundreds," Serenity said. "And that's just counting the ones outside of Draconia. My occupation has helped me make friends with dragons all over the world."

"But no human friends?" asked Valka.

"No," said Serenity. "Berk is the only human settlement that has accepted me. The other humans either don't want me at all, or want me for the wrong reasons."

"I would very much like to see what you know about dragons," Valka said. Serenity sighed.

"Alright," she said.

"What do you know about the Bewilderbeast?" asked Valka.

"Just stories really," said Serenity. "They're soldiers of the Lord Draco. They've ruled the dragons for decades. There aren't many left, which is why dragons like Toothless and Re have been given leadership rolls."

"I've lived with one for twenty years," Valka said.

"Yes, Aurora told me," said Serenity. "Shame what happened to him. I hope the same thing doesn't happen to Re, or Toothless."

"You look up to Re," said Valka, it wasn't a question.

"He is taller then me," Serenity said, amused. "But yes, he's a good friend. I've suffered the pain of loss myself. It's beed good to have a good, strong, friend to turn to."

"You did you loose?" asked Valka. Serenity exchanged a glance with Tenor. She sighed sadly.

"A friend," she said. "The most wonderful friend I've ever had. And the only human friend I've ever had."

"Oh, you did have a human friend," said Valka.

"Yeah, but now I don't," said Serenity. "He was taken by the sea about ten years ago. It's still a painful memory for us."

"I see," said Valka. "Does Hiccup know this?" Serenity shook her head.

"Non of them do," she said. "It's non of their business." Just then they were hit by a gust of wind. In the distance they could see snow clouds heading for Berk. The temperature was dropping.

"We should get back, it's about to snow," said Valka. They turned their dragons around and headed back to the village.

"I've flown through snow before," said Serenity. "But I don't do it unless I have to."

They landed in the plaza just as the snow reached them. Serenity dismounted and stroked Tenor's neck. Valka jumped down from Cloudjumper.

"You ride well," she said.

"Thanks," said Serenity. "I'll be taking it easy tomorrow, let Tenor rest up for the next leg of the journey."

"You should meet the new dragons that are here," said Cloudjumper. "I'm sure they'd like you."

"Why not," said Serenity. "I like making new friends." Tenor murmured in agreement. Valka looked curious, and Serenity translated what Cloudjumper had suggested.

"That's a swell idea," said Valka. "Why don't you come meet Gruff, he's a Hobblgrunt. Come." She went towards the hanger. Serenity followed her with the two dragons.

In the hanger Valka went over to a stall where a purple and green Hobblegrunt was resting. He looked up when he heard he was being approached. He sat up and sniffed the air. Serenity saw his milky white eyes, Gruff was completely blind.

"He was blinded by a dragon trap and left for dead," said Valka. "Cloudjumper and I managed to get him to the safety of the Bewliderbeast's nest." She waved her staff in the air, and it made rattling and moaning sounds. Gruff seemed cheer up. He came out of his stall and continued to sniff the air. Serenity carefully approached him, he backed up.

"Hello Gruff," Serenity said, in her softest voice. Gruff turned his scales a dark yellow and fanned out his frill.

"Who's that?" he asked. "Are you a dragon?"

"No, I'm a human," said Serenity, in Dragontongue. She held her hand out to him, putting it in front of his nostril. He sniffed it, and crooned.

"You smell like dragonnip," he said. He placed his nose into her hand and she petted him. He leaned into her touch and his scales turned blue.

"You can change your colors," said Serenity.

"Yes," said Gruff. "Much like a Changewing." Valka watched them converse in Dragontongue. Serenity looked at her as she continued stroking Gruff's snout.

"That's a very interesting stick," she said, looking at Valka's staff.

"I can't talk with dragons like you can," Valka said. "This helps me communicate with them."

"That's so cool," said Serenity. Gurff nuzzled Serenity's shoulder and she hugged him. "How many dragon friends do have?"

"Oh, every dragon on this island is a friend of mine," said Valka, gesturing around the hanger.

They went around the island meeting all of Valka's rescued dragons. Gruff followed them. Tenor and Cloudjumper took off to go grab fish from the feeding trays.

"It seems your rider and mine are getting a long nicely," Cloudjumper said.

"Yes," said Tenor. "I figured Valka would like her, they're pretty much the same person. Except Serenity doesn't fight."

"Who was that friend she was talking about?" Cloudjumper asked.

"That would be Chris," Tenor said. "Re and Aurora's adopted human son. He and Serenity were very close friends. It pretty much tore her apart when he drowned, it tore us all up." He swallowed a cod as he watched Serenity and Valka going around the village.

When the day came to an end, Serenity met back up with Tenor. She looked very happy and not the least bit scared. She found Tenor under the apple tree. He sat up when she arrived

"You're looking better," he said.

"I feel better," she replied. "It's good to be back here." She began taking his saddle off.

"You should take it easy tomorrow," she said. "We have another long flight a head of us."

"Hey, I like going on long flights with you," Tenor said. "That means I get to hear you sing." Serenity giggled as she pulled the saddle off and put it on a low branch. She then slid off Tenor's bridle and hung it next to the saddle. Tenor shook himself.

"You're fun to travel with too," Serenity said, hugging him.

"We heading out day after tomorrow?" Tenor asked.

"Yes," said Serenity. She sat in her chair. Tenor lit the fire pit and laid beside her chair.

"What do you think of Eret?" he asked.

"He's alright," Serenity said. "He's not nearly as scary as Viggo." Tenor laid his head in her lap and she stroked him.

"You think he's the one for you?" Tenor asked.

"No," said Serenity. She glanced towards the ocean. "He's nice but, he's not the one." Tenor nuzzled her shoulder.

"I just don't want you to be alone anymore," he said.

"I have you," said Serenity. "I'll never be alone when I have you." She hugged his head, then she yawned.

"Bedtime I think," Tenor said. Serenity hugged him again, then got to her feet. She went inside the hut and went to bed. Tenor jumped onto a branch and hung from it by his tail. He wrapped his wings around himself and fell asleep.

The next day was spent around the village. Serenity met more of the wild dragons that had come from the Bewilderbeat's nest. She also caught up on her old dragon friends. She helped around the village as well. All the Snoggletog decorations were up. The holiday buzz was in the air. Tenor took it easy as well. He stocked up on fuel and he went for a run around the island, getting in shape. He helped Toothless with his alpha position, in the same way he did for Re.

At the end of the day Serenity stocked up on supplies. She wanted to leave first thing in the morning. When she was finished she went back into the plaza, to find something to do. She met the rider's dragons.

"You leaving tomorrow?" asked Stormfly.

"Yes," said Serenity. "I have a long way to go."

"Is there a reason you're spending such a short time here?" asked Meatlug. "I thought you loved it here."

"I do," said Serenity. "It's just, Re's only allowing me to stay out long enough to see everyone, then he wants me back."

"Oh, and you have no objections?" asked Hookfang.

"No," said Serenity. "I would like to stay here longer, but I can't disobey the king. He's just worried about me."

"Why is he so overprotective of you?" asked Stormfly.

"I'm the closest thing he has to his own hatchling," said Serenity.

"He should have hatchlings soon," said Stormfly. "If he wants to pass on his crown."

"He will," said Tenor. "All in good time."

"You think you'll come back?" asked Belch.

"Sure we will," said Tenor. "I would imagine Hiccup and Toothless will want to seek advice from Re and Aurora." Stormfly lowered her head and Serenity petted her beak.

"You guys have had some adventure," said Serenity.

"We did," said Meatlug. "But I'm glad it's over." The others murmured in agreement.

"I'm sorry I missed it," Serenity said.

"You didn't miss much, just a whole lot of fighting," said Hookfang. "And you don't like fighting anyway."

"Hey, since you and Hiccup love to explore maybe you'll cross paths out there," said Barf.

"Yeah, maybe," said Serenity. "And maybe someday he will find his way to Draconia." Just then the dragons heard their riders calling them.

"We need to go," said Stormfly.

"We do too," said Tenor. "I must prepare myself for hours of her singing." He gave Serenity a playful nudge. She laughed as she got on his back. They all went their separate ways.

Serenity went back to her tree. Her gear was all ready to go. After Serenity cooked dinner, she and Tenor turned in for the night. Early the next morning, Serenity saddled up Tenor along with all her gear. She mounted him and went into the plaza. The dragons were getting ready for their migration. They looked up when Serenity and Tenor came into the plaza.

"Good luck on your migration," Serenity said.

"Thanks," said Hookfang. "Good luck on your trip. And say hi to the king and queen for us when you get home." Serenity smiled and tapped the brim of her hat. She then clicked the reins and Tenor took off. They headed northwest, in the direction of Changewing Island.

Back in Draconia, Re and Aurora were just waking up. Re got off the bed and shook himself. He glanced at himself in a nearby mirror. He could see the scar on his snout, where Drago Bludvist had stabbed him in the mouth. Though the skin had pretty much healed, the bone underneath was still repairing itself. So eating and breathing fire was still quite painful.

"Are you okay?" asked Aurora, getting to her feet.

"My jaw hurts," Re said, wincing. Aurora nuzzled him.

"I'm sorry you got hurt," she said. "But it'll get better."

"What should we do today?" Re asked. Aurora considered.

"I'm wondering if the thorns in Dragon Claw Canyon should be burned," she said. "They're doing more damage than good."

"We could put a new city in its place," said Re. "I hope Serenity and Tenor come back soon."

"Me too," said Aurora. "But for the moment they're safe. I have my eye on them." Re relaxed. "Anyway lets go have a look at Dragon Claw Canyon, fresh air will be good."

"Agreed," Re said. Aurora opened the big window and they took off, heading inland. The castle was left deserted for the moment.

Miles away over the ocean, Chris was flying home after being a way for ten years. He'd spent those years helping a nest full of dragons win a war against a powerful enemy. But now that the fighting was over, Chris was able to go home to his family. He was really looking forward to being home after so many years.

Chris was the adopted son of Re and Aurora. They had raised him from a baby after finding him abandoned. They lived together in the vast Draconian castle for twelve, long years until tragedy struck. While on a scouting mission, Chris and his father, were hit by a violent storm at sea. It was so violent that it caused Chris to slip off the saddle and into the sea. He could remember it well. He had nearly drowned that night. But luckily a pod of helpful sea dragons had rescued him. Unluckily Chris didn't see his family again.

Today he was flying home on the back of a large, black, female Night Fury, with honey yellow eyes. Her name was Windwalker. Chris had met her shortly after he'd been separated from his family. They both had been captured by savages and held against their will. By working together they managed to escape with all the hostages, both human and dragon. After which Windwalker flew him back to her nest where she was the alpha. He fought alongside her and her squadron in the fight against the powerful enemy.

Chris was excited about seeing his family after all these years. He suspected that they had been really torn up when he was lost. He was especially excited about seeing Serenity again. He'd really missed her just as much as he missed his parents. She was his only human friend in the entire world.

Chris was a tall man with tan skin, short black hair, deep brown eyes, and large ears. He wore black trousers, boots, a dark blue shirt, and a black leather coat with a lining of seal fur on the sleeve cuffs. On his left hip were his twin swords, which he had acquired during his adventures.

Windwalker looked over her wing at him, noticing his far away expression.

"You've been very quiet," she said.

"I'm alright," Chris said. "I've been dreaming about this for ten years. I'm pondering what's changed since I left."

"Let's go find out," said Windwalker. She thrusted her wings back and picked up speed. Windwalker was also looking forward to meeting Chris's family and seeing where he lived. She'd heard a lot about them. Re and Aurora sounded liked wonderful individuals and Serenity sounded very sweet, but also a bit delicate. Tenor, he sound the most interesting. Chris hadn't been able to tell her much, because according to Chris, Tenor was nocturnal and always hiding in the shadows. He was rarely seen in the daylight, and when he was he was flighty and nervous. But Windwalker suspected that there was more to him than that. She was hoping to find out what he was really like.

They were still a long ways from Draconia however. They were up north and heading south. Windwalker had never been to the dragon's homeland in her life. Yet, she somehow knew the way. She wondered if Lord Draco was secretly guiding her.

Before too long Chris spotted an island coming over the horizon. It was the first sign of land they'd seen in awhile.

"Look, let's stop there for the night," Chris suggested.

"Good plan," Windwalker said. "I'm pretty hungry." She turned and headed for the island. As they approached it, they saw more details. The first thing they noticed was that it was swarming with dragons, of all types. The next thing they noticed was the small village on one end, perched on a large rock in the shape of a wizard's pointy hat. Chris pulled out a spyglass and looked through it at the village.

"That's a viking village," he said. "I remember reading about them when I was a kid. And there are dragons everywhere."

"Interesting," said Windwalker. "I always heard that vikings were savages, always looking for an excuse to start a fight." As they got even closer, Chris glimpsed something gold at the edge of the spyglass lens. He turned and suddenly saw nothing but golden leaves and twigs. He lowered the spyglass to get a better look. He saw a huge, gleaming golden tree. It sat on a ledge behind the village, facing the rest of the island. Chris recognized it at once.

"That's a golden apple tree," he said. "They only grow in Draconia." He looked through the spyglass again and looked beneath the tree. He saw a brick hut nestled at the back of the ledge, and he saw the flag flying from the roof.

"And that's the Draconian flag," he said. "I reckon a Draconian is living there."

"If what you say about Draconia is true, then that's an awfully small house for a dragon," said Windwalker. "What Draconian would be living in a house that small and cramped looking place?"

"Serenity," Chris said. "She's Draconian and she's a human. That house would be perfect for her." Windwalker considered.

"I remember Pyro saying he ran into your friend on an island with vikings," she said.

"Maybe she's there now," said Chris, sounding hopeful. Windwalker looked in the direction of the village. She was suspicious of it. Though there were quite a few dragons there, she didn't know what they'd do with newcomers. Chris could tell she was hesitant. He didn't blame her, neither of them had very many positive experiences with humans. He looked at the tree through the spyglass again, there didn't seem to be anyone there.

"Maybe we can spend the night under that tree," he suggested. "If it's Serenity's, I'm sure she won't mind." Windwalker looked towards the west. The sun was rapidly setting and there seemed to be snow clouds heading their way.

"It appears we have no choice," she said. "We're going to need shelter from the snow." She quietly headed for the tree, and landed beside it. Chris dismounted and looked around. The place looked deserted and was so quiet.

"I don't think anyone's home," Windwalker said. "She must have gone back to Draconia." She laid down next to the tree trunk and Chris laid beside her. Windwalker noticed that the whole atmosphere around the tree smelled of fresh dragonnip. She sniffed around and discovered it was coming from the grass. Dragonnip made up the entire lawn around the tree and the house. Not only did it smell wonderful, but it felt so soft and warm on her scales. She couldn't resist rolling in it a bit. She hadn't experienced dragonnip since she was very young. Chris watched her, amused. He too recognized the grass.

"Your friend sure knows how to treat a dragon," said Windwalker. She spread her wings out on the soft grass.

"Of course she does," Chris said. "She's lived with them for as long as I have. I wonder if she's changed at all."

"I'm sure she has in some ways," said Windwalker. "I mean she has grown up."

"And I'll be she's beautiful now," Chris said. "I wonder if she'll recognize me."

"We'll find out soon," said Windwalker, drowsily. The dragonnip was putting her to sleep.

"Tomorrow I'm going into that village and find out if they've seen her," said Chris. Windwalker yawned.

"Just don't get captured," she said, as she drifted off. Chris made himself comfortable beside her, and they both fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next morning Toothless decided to visit the apple tree. He glanced around at the number of dragons that hadn't migrated. Things seemed quiet for the moment. He turned and headed up the hill towards the tree. He knew it would be a few days until his friends returned.

When he reached the apple tree, the first thing he saw was Chris and Windwalker, and of course had no idea who they were. Toothless tensed up as he investigated. He was surprised to see another Night Fury, and not a hybrid. She had a man sleeping next to her that looked around Serenity's age. Toothless slowly approached and sniffed them. Curious he nudged the other Nighty Fury. She stirred and her eyes opened. She saw Toothless and sat up.

"Who are you?" Toothless asked, hoping he sounded intimidating enough. Windwalker didn't answer, but roused her rider. Chis woke up and saw Toothless as well.

"Who are you?" Toothless asked again. "And what are you doing under the tree?"

"I'm Chris," said Chris. "And this is Windwalker." Toothless drew back in surprise.

"You can speak to dragons?" he asked. "I thought our dragon healer was the only one who could do that." Chris automatically knew who he was talking about.

"Serenity's your dragon healer?" he asked. Toothless looked surprised again.

"You know Serenity?" he asked. Chris nodded.

"She's a friend of mine," he said. Toothless considered for a moment.

"Who exactly are you?" asked Windwalker.

"I'm Toothless, I'm the alpha dragon here," Toothless said. "Wait here, I'll go get my rider." He turned and headed back down the hill. Both Chris and Windwalker noticed his red tail fin as he retreated.

"That one's been through the storm," said Windwalker, when Toothless was out of earshot. "Why is he the alpha I wonder?"

"Because, with the exception of my father, Night Furies make the best alphas," said Chris. Windwalker purred at the compliment. They got to their feet and stretched.

They waited for a few minuets before Toothless came back with Hiccup. Chris and Hiccup looked at each other, tensing up. Hiccup pulled out Inferno and Chris pulled out one of his swords.

"Who are you?" Hiccup asked. Chris repeated his introduction. He lowered his sword, he figured Serenity wouldn't want her lawn soaked in blood.

"I'm looking for my friend, Serenity," he explained. Hiccup looked just as surprised as Toothless.

"You know Serenity?" he asked. "How? She never mentioned you." Chris sighed.

"It's a long, complicated story," he said. "Short version is, she doesn't know I'm alive."

"If you know her, describe her," Hiccup said.

"Emerald green eyes, golden brown hair, scar on her right cheek," said Chris. "Can talk to dragons and hates fighting." Hiccup relaxed and put Inferno away.

"Are you Draconian too?" he asked.

"Yes," Chris said. "Re and Aurora are my adopted parents. I was separated from them when I was twelve, they don't know I'm alive either."

"Hmm," Hiccup said. "Then it's probably about time they knew. I'll send them a terror message and ask them to come out here. But until they get here, I ask you remain on Berk."

"Sure," Chris said. "Is Berk that village down there?"

"Yes, I'm the chief and Toothless is the alpha," Hiccup explained. "Vikings and dragons live together here."

"You keep them as slaves?" Chris asked, sounding a bit bitter.

"Oh no, certainly not," Hiccup said. "We treat dragons with respect here. We've made peace with them and are trying to save as many as we can. We also strive to learn as much as we can about them." Chris and Windwalker exchanged a glance.

"I've never heard of a whole village making peace with dragons," said Chris.

"We're the first one," Hiccup said. "Anyway, why don't you come down to the plaza. I'll show you around the place and get a message out to Re and Aurora. They'll be able to clear this up. They can also help track down Serenity."

"Sure," Chris said. He and Windwalker followed Hiccup and Toothless down the hill towards the plaza.

When they reached it Chris and Windwalker were introduced to the other riders. Without a doubt they were interested, especially in seeing another Night Fury. While Chris was being bombarded with questions, Hiccup wrote a message to Re and Aurora. Toothless called Hiccup's Tiny Terror, Sharpshot. When Hiccup finished his note he tied it to the little dragon's leg.

"Take this to the king and queen on Draconia," Toothless explained to Sharpshot. The Terror nodded and took off. Hiccup and Toothless rejoined the group.

Back in Draconia, Re was having trouble focusing due to the pain in his jaw. He and Aurora were lounging on a hill overlooking Silver Valley Lake. They had spent the previous day planning the demolition of Dragon Claw Canyon. They planned to burn it down when Tenor returned. Re didn't know if his mouth could take the amount of fire breathing required. Whenever he breathed fire the spot where he'd been stabbed would burn like he'd eaten a thousand ghost peppers. The protective layer on the inside of his mouth wasn't completely restored, and Re knew it would be a while. He laid his head down on the grass. Aurora looked at him.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" she asked.

"Can you heal my skull?" Re asked. Aurora sighed.

"It is healing," she said. "Even if I sped it up, you will still be in pain. If you let heal slowly, the pain will go away for good. I'm sorry." Re moaned and clutched his head, which was throbbing. Aurora nuzzled him.

"It'll get better, I promise," she said. "I can foresee that by the end of the month you'll feel a lot better." She put her wing around him. She used her magic to dull his pain and it brought him relief for the moment.

Suddenly they heard a loud screech. They looked up to see a Tiny Terror flying towards them. He landed in front of them.

"Good afternoon your majesties," he said, giving a tiny bow. "Sharpshot of Berk at your service. I bring a message from Hiccup." He held out his paw. Re untied the scroll tied to the little dragon's leg. He unrolled it and read it.

 _Re and Aurora,_

 _A mysterious rider on a Night Fury, named Windwalker, has turned up on Berk. He says his name is Chris, and he claims he's your adopted son. I don't know if what he says is true, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He wants to go look for Serenity, but I told him to remain on the island until you got here. So I need the two of you to come to Berk. We look forward to seeing you._

 _Hiccup._

Re and Aurora exchanged a glance. Re dismissed Sharpshot.

"Chris is on Berk?" said Aurora.

"That's not possible," Re said. "I saw him go into the ocean myself. If he were alive, he would have contacted us."

"Perhaps this Night Fury has something to do with it," said Aurora. She got to her feet. "Lets go to Berk and see about this. You think you can make it?" Re got up as well.

"I think so," he said. "My head hurts, but my wings are fine."

"Alright," said Aurora. "Let me know if you start feeling faint, please." Re nodded. With that, they spread their wings and took off. They flew as fast as they could towards Berk.

Back on Berk, Chris and Windwalker were back under Serenity's apple tree. They watched the sun set. Chris was really looking forward to seeing his family again. Hiccup informed him that he'd sent a message to Re and Aurora, so they were on their way. As of right now, Serenity and Tenor were the only ones who didn't know. Chris could already picture the look on Serenity's face. She would be very surprised and not believe her eyes at first. Of course, Chris had no idea what she would look like now a days, since she would now be a grown women. He leaned back against Windwalker and closed his eyes, and soon he was drifting off.

The next morning Chris explored the area beneath the tree. Windwalker rolled in the grass, getting the sent all over her scales. Chris went inside the house, which was plenty big enough for a dragon. He saw a large queen sized bed in the back, a table with chairs, a hat rack made out of dragon horns that had been shedded, and a counter with pots and pans stacked on it. Light came in form the windows, providing the only light. There were a few books stacked on the night stand next to the bed. The bed itself was made of fine wood, that had carved eastern dragons wrapped around the bedposts. A bed pan hung on the wall over the bed.

At that moment Windwalker came up beside him. She wormed her head under his hand.

"What do you plan to do when you see her again?" she asked.

"Pick up where I left off," Chris said. "They night before I left home, we'd talked about traveling world and helping dragons. I would fight off any bad guys and she would treat any injured dragons."

"Sounds to me like you've been doing exactly that," said Windwalker. "Only miles apart."

"And now we can do it together," Chris said. "But first we must find her. I hope my parents get here soon." He closed the double doors, just as the rider's dragons, minus Toothless, came up the hill. They had just returned from the hatching grounds to pay their riders a visit, while they waited for their eggs to hatch. They had no doubt already heard about Chris and Windwalker.

"Hello, Chris," said Hookfang. "You sleep okay?"

"Yes," Chris answered. "Are my parents here yet?"

"No," said Meatlug. "But I suspect they'll be here this evening, depending on how fast they fly." Chris sat in the vacant seat by the fire pit. Hookfang lit a fire and they all gathered around it.

"You looking forward to seeing them again?" asked Belch.

"I am," Chris said. "But I'm also a bit nervous. I'm wondering if they'll be angry that I hadn't told them I was alive until now. I must have really hurt them."

"They'll forgive you I'm sure," said Stormfly. "As soon as you've explained where you've been all these years. They'll be very happy to see you, and so will Serenity when we find her."

"I wonder where she is," said Hookfang. "There's so many island with dragons on them, many of whom she's friends with."

"We'll find her," said Stormfly. "Skullcrusher can find anyone, no matter how far away they are."

"What do you guys know about the dragon she rides, Tenor?" Windwalker asked.

"He's a very unusual dragon," said Stormfly. "He's nice for sure, you just have to get passed his odd appearance."

"Didn't Chris tell you about him?" asked Hookfang.

"I couldn't tell her much," Chris said. "It was so long ago, most of the time he stayed in the shadows. All I remember is that he's black."

"What's so unusual about him?" Windwalker asked. The dragons exchanged a glance.

"He's a hybrid," said Stormfly. "A very rare hybrid. He's quite shy at first, but once he gets comfortable around you he can by pretty cocky."

"What sort of hybrid?" Windwalker asked. Hookfang was about to answer, when they heard their riders calling them.

"Sorry, we have to go," said Meatlug. "You'll find out when you meet him."

"We'll see you later," said Hookfang. They all spread their wings and took off. Windwalker tilted her head in curiosity.

"A hybrid," she said. "I don't see anything wrong with being a hybrid."

"Maybe he doesn't see it that way," Chris said. "Mom and Dad said he was ridiculed all his life because he looked different, which is probably why I didn't seem that much." Windwalker pondered this. She hoped Re and Aurora arrived soon. She wanted to find Tenor and learn more about him.

"You're curious about him," Chris said, it wasn't a question.

"I am," Windwalker said. "I can't help that I have so many questions about him." Chris leaned back in the chair.

They spent the rest of the day exploring the rest of the island. Windwalker continued to picture what Tenor might look like, but all she could picture was a dark silhouette.

Before long the sun began to set. Chris and Windwalker flew back to the village. Some of the dragons and vikings were watching the skies for Re and Aurora. Toothless came up beside Chris.

"Any sign of them?" Chris asked.

"Not yet," said Toothless. "But they'll get here, don't worry. Why don't you lend a wing around here to pass the time. They'll be here before you know it."

So Chris and Windwalker helped around the village. Chris kept looking up at the sky, looking for Re and Aurora. So far there was no sign of them. As the sun vanished beneath the horizon the vikings and dragons started to turn in for the night. Chris looked up at the sky again, only to find nothing. Disappointed, he and Windwalker headed back up to the apple tree. When they got there Chris sat in the chair. Windwalker lit the fire place and sat next it.

"They didn't come," she said.

"I'm sure they have a perfectly good explanation for taking so long," Chris said. "I'll wait up for them." He leaned back in the chair and made himself comfortable. Windwalker eventually fell asleep. Chris just watched the stars and moon. He wondered where Serenity and Tenor were now. Tenor was nocturnal, so he imagined they were flying to their next destination. Chris was also brainstorming for what he would say when he found Serenity.

He must have fallen asleep pondering the matter, because the next thing he knew Windwalker was waking him up. He sat up and saw that it was dawn.

"Chris, your parents are inbound," Windwalker said. Chris jumped to his feet. He took a deep breath and mounted his dragon. They flew down to the plaza where Hiccup and Toothless were waiting. Windwalker landed beside them and Chris dismounted. In the distance two dragons were flying towards them. As they got closer, Chris's heart beat faster out of excitement.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Chris felt an overwhelming feeling of joy. Re and Aurora felt the same.

"Mom! Dad!" Chris exclaimed.

"Chris!" both dragons said in unison. They ran towards each other and Chris threw his arms around Re, then Aurora. The two dragons hugged him back. Re didn't even care that his snout was still hurting him. The overwhelming feeling of joy took his mind off his pain.

"It's so good to see you," Chris said, his eyes filling up with tears. He was so happy to be back in the wings of his parents, after missing them for ten years.

"It's good to see you too," said Re. "I was so sure that we'd lost you for good." Chris released them.

"I'll explain everything when Serenity and Tenor are found," he said. He stroked his father's snout. Re shuddered when Chris ran his hand over the battle wound on his snout.

"Oh, sorry did I hurt you?" Chris asked.

"No, it's this battle wound I obtained a few weeks ago," Re said. "I got stabbed in the mouth, it's still healing and still quite painful." Chris grimaced. He'd seen several dragons get stabbed in the mouth. He looked at the scar on Re's snout, and could see a few bloodstains on his green scales.

"I'm sorry Dad," he said, giving him another hug. Re nuzzled him. Chris stood back after a while. He then turned to his mother, and stroked her snout. Aurora purred and nuzzled his hair.

"I'm sorry I was away for so long," Chris said. "I'm sorry I let you think I was dead. I never intended to hurt you." Aurora's silver eyes softened. She licked his tears away. Chris hadn't realized he'd started crying.

"It's okay Chris," Aurora said. "We were very sad when we lost you. But we're overjoyed that you're alive and home."

"All thanks to my friend, Windwalker," Chris said, gesturing to the female Night Fury. Re and Aurora looked at her and smiled.

"Hello Windwalker," Re said. "It's an honor to meet you." He gave her a sweeping bow, wrapping his wing around his front legs.

"It's an honor to finally meet you two as well," said Windwalker, returning the bow. "You say you got stabbed in the mouth."

"Clean through the skull," Re said, as he and Windwalker stood up. "But my brain was undamaged. The skin has healed, but the bone hasn't."

"Don't worry about it Re," said Toothless. "A scar like yours would be considered a badge of honor around here." He looked at his red tail fin. Aurora turned to Hiccup.

"When did you see Serenity and Tenor last?" she asked.

"About two days ago," Hiccup said. "They could be anywhere by now. Serenity has dragon friends on so many islands. But good news is, the rider's dragons are still here and we have Skullcrusher. We'll be able to find her easily."

"Really? Why aren't they at their breeding grounds?" Re asked.

"They're visiting while they wait for their eggs to hatch," Hiccup said. "They have a few days still."

"I see," Re said. "Well we should get started, Serenity has quite the surprise coming her way."

"As soon as the other riders wake up," Hiccup said. "Which will be soon. You should find something of hers, something with her sent on it. It'll make finding her easier."

"Tenor will have most of it," Re said.

"I can find something in her house," Chris said. "Her sent must be all over it."

So while they waited for the other riders and their dragons to wake up Chris and Windwalker went back up to the tree. Chris dismounted and went into the house. He went up to the bed and pulled the pillowcase off one of the pillows. He went back out and looked up at the apple tree. The sunlight streamed through its branches, making it glow. Then he noticed a thin, dark, arch-shaped line in the golden tree trunk. Chris walked up to investigate. He ran his hand on the trunk. He felt a small handle perfectly blended in with rest of the bark. He pulled on it and a narrow door opened, revealing a hidden room right inside the tree trunk. The inside is smelled of freshly sanded wood. A camp bed sat on one side and sitting next to it was a large wooden chest decorated with gems, and sealed with a big padlock. Windwalker came up beside him.

"She has a secret room in the tree," she said. "She gets more interesting by the minuet."

"Let's go find her," Chris said. "She'll have a key to that chest, we can find out what's in it." He closed the door and mounted back up. They headed back to the plaza with the pillowcase.

When they got there they found the other riders and dragons up and about, including Eret and Skullcrusher. Windwalker landed and dismounted.

"I found something that could help us," Chris said, holding up the pillowcase. Skullcrusher sniffed it. He then sniffed the air.

"I've got her," he said. The other riders mounted their dragons and they all took off. Skullcrusher took the lead, following his nose.

They headed west. No one spoke for a good several hours. They spotted a few wild dragons as they passed. Chris kept his eye out for Serenity, but she was no where to be seen. But since the search had just begun, he wasn't giving up.

Before long they spotted an island. The Berkians recognized it at Changwing Island. Hiccup had to remind the Twins to not steal any of the Changwing eggs and why. Fishlegs got nervous as usual about landing on an island filled with wild, and aggressive dragons.

"Do you really think we're going to find Serenity here?" he asked. "I'm not really fan of harassing a bunch of acid spitting dragons."

"We're not going to harass then Fishlegs," said Re. "Just see if Serenity and Tenor are still there. The Changwings will have seen her."

"You think they're still angry about the whole egg stealing thing?" asked Tuffnut.

"They may still be mad a Snotlout," said Re. "But I think they'll be fine with the rest of you." They head in for a landing, and touched down on the beach, facing the big gorge where the Changwings nested. A Changewing spotted them and landed in front of them. He tensed up.

"Hello Acid," said Aurora.

"Queen Aurora," said Acid. "What brings you here."

"We're looking for Serenity and Tenor," Re said. "Have you seen them?"

"Yes sir," said Acid. "They were here, but they left day before yesterday." Aurora translated the conversation to the Berkians.

"Thank you Acid," said Re. Chris pulled out the pillowcase and held it out to Skullcrusher. The Rumblehorn sniffed it and soon picked up a fresh sent. They took off and followed him in a northwest direction.

The next island they came to was Fireworm Island. They landed in front of the cave that lead to the Fireworms' hive. The Fireworm Queen came out, having heard the dragons approaching. She recognized her visitors at once.

"Hello Hookfang," she said. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too ma'am," said Hookfang. The Fireworm Queen then turned to Re and Aurora.

"What brings you all to my hive sister?" she asked.

"We're looking for Serenity and Tenor," said Aurora.

"You missed them," said the Fireworm Queen. "They left yesterday morning."

"Which way did they go?" asked Re.

"That way," said the Fireworm Queen. She pointed southwest with her talon.

"They're heading for Healer's Island," said Hiccup, who had the Archipelago well memorized by now. Chris held the pillowcase out to Skullcrusher again. He sniffed it.

"We'er getting closer, her sent is stronger," he announced. They spread their wings and took off, thanking the Fireworm Queen.

They picked up speed as the left Fireworm Island. Skullcrusher could smell Serenity sent getting stronger and stronger. He was positive that Serenity and Tenor were still on Healer's Island. He hoped they got there, before Serenity and Tenor packed up and left.

Soon the island came into view, and they moved even faster. Skullcrusher led them to the right side of the island. They went in low, looking for signs of a camp ground.

"There," said Astrid. She pointed to a thin trail of smoke coming form one of the tallest hills. Chris felt his heart beat faster out of excitement. They flew towards the hill. Sure enough they spotted Serenity's two man tent, her chair, and a fire pit that was causing the trail of smoke. Serenity herself seemed to be cleaning her saddle, Tenor was no where in sight.

"Can I have a moment alone with her?" Chris asked.

"Sure," Re answered. All the other riders and dragons flew off to take a break. Chris landed Windwalker near the tent, and dismounted. Serenity didn't look up, or turn around. She was brushing the seat of her saddle. Chris took a huge breath before speaking.

"Serenity," he said, announcing his presence. Serenity let out a gasp and dropped the brush in her hand. She turned around, her eye wide. She was too surprised to speak. She walked closer to him.

"Chris?" she said, speaking finally.

"Yes, it's me," Chris answered. Serenity came even closer. He could tell this was a lot for her to take in, and waited patiently.

"Are you a ghost?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not a ghost," Chris said. "And you're not dreaming." Serenity's eyes softened a bit at this. She came to a stop right in front of him. She carefully reached her hand out and gently touched his face, she wanted to make sure that he was really flesh and blood. Now that she'd gotten over the shock, her eyes blinked rapidly holding back tears. She threw her arms around him, and held on tight. He hugged her back with just as much joy.

"You're alive," she gasped, her voice slightly muffled by his shoulder. Chris tightened his grip on her.

"I've missed you so much," he said.

"I've missed you more," Serenity answered. They finally released each other. Chris got a better look at her.

"Wow, you're so beautiful now," he said. "More then I imagined." He cupped her face in his hand. Serenity blushed and leaned into his hand.

It could not be understood just how happy Serenity was to have her friend back. For the first time in years, she felt whole. She couldn't ever remember how much it hurt to lose him all those years ago.

Suddenly Windwalker crooned, not wanting to fade into the shadows. Chris and Serenity turned to her.

"This is my friend Windwalker," Chris said. "Windwalker, this is Serenity." Windwalker approached them and Serenity held her hand out to her. Windwalker sniffed it, and instantly recognized the sent as dragonnip. She wormed her head under Serenity's hand, and Serenity stroked her muzzle.

"I like your name," Serenity said. "I've always wanted to meet a Windwalker dragon."

"Thanks," said Windwalker. "It's nice to finally meet you. Chris wouldn't stop talking about you." Serenity smiled and stroked Windwalker behind her ears, making her purr.

"How did you guys find me?" Serenity asked.

"We saw your tree on Berk," Chris explained.

"Oh, my tree," Serenity sighed, sounding amused. "I always knew that tree was good luck. So you've met my Berkian friends."

"Yes, Hiccup contacted my parents and they arrived this morning," Chris said. "We all pitched in to look for you."

"Oh, if only I'd known," Serenity said. "Things would have been a lot easier."

"It's alright," Chris said. "Where's Tenor?"

"He's out hunting," Serenity said. "He'll be back shortly. I should get all this packed up." She gestured to the tent.

"You have quite an interesting place on Berk," said Windwalker. "I've never seen a golden apple tree before, and your lawn is made of dragonnip."

"I want my dragon patients to be at ease," said Serenity, as she took down the tent.

"Hiccup said you were a dragon healer," Chris said. "I remember to training to be one." Serenity smiled again.

"It's helped me make a lot friends out here," she said. "It was a good coping method." She rolled up her tent and attached it to her saddle, along with her bed roll and sleeping bag. When everything was packed up and ready, Serenity sat on a boulder and Chris sat next to her in the chair.

"How many dragons have you helped?" he asked, as Windwalker sat on his other side.

"Hundreds," said Serenity. "And I've saved a few lives. I didn't want anyone to lose their friend the way I lost you." Chris took her hand in his.

"I'm sorry I let you think I was dead all this time," he said. "It must have been hard."

"It's alright Chris," Serenity said. "It was hard, but we stayed strong. Re said I was all they had left of you."

"What about you? Did you have anything to remember me?" Chris asked. Serenity gently pulled her hand out of his so she could reach for something down her shirt. She pulled out her dragon scale locket. It gleamed in the sunlight. Chris took it in his hand and glanced at it.

"I remember when I gave you this," he said.

"I never took it off," Serenity said. "I made a few updates to it though." Chris opened the locket and saw the picture of Ruby, and the other picture of him when he was twelve. He was very touched by this. He closed the locket and looked at the back of it. He saw the phrase

 _'And here we'll stay, until we meet again.'_

Chris handed it back to Serenity. She looked him up and down.

"I see you kept that coat I made for you," she said. "Glad to see it still fits."

"Yup, it was all I had left of you," Chris said. "It's served me well all these years." Serenity put her hand back in his.

At that moment Aurora landed on the hill. They all turned and looked at her.

"Tenor found us, we can head back to Berk now," she said. Serenity and Chris got to their feet. Serenity got her hat off the top of her saddle and put it on. She then hoisted her medical bag onto her shoulder, then heaved up the saddle with all the camping gear attached to it. Chris folded the chair. They all headed down the hill towards where the others were waiting. Windwalker noticed that Serenity was staggering under the weight of the saddle.

"You want some help with that?" she asked. Serenity looked at her.

"I'm fine, thanks," she answered. "But you can carry this." She held out the medical bag. Windwalker clamped it in her gums. "Careful with it, that bag is special." Windwalker nodded. They continued down the hill.

They soon spotted the rest of the group, Tenor among them. But suddenly Tenor turned and flew off at high speed, he was soon out of sight. Serenity and Aurora both sighed sadly.

"What did he do that for?" asked Windwalker. Aurora sighed again.

"Tenor's had such a bad history with females," she explained. "They've all turned him down because of his odd appearance. So now whenever he sees one approaching, he runs and hides. It's sad really."

"So, he's hiding from me?" asked Windwalker.

"It'll take some time before he gets used to you," said Aurora. "Try not to be offended." They soon reached the group.

"Hey Serenity," Re said.

"Hi Re," said Serenity. "Where'd Tenor fly off to?"

"He's going to meet us on Berk," Re said. Serenity set her saddle down.

"I'll have to come back for this then," she said. She set the saddle next to a bush.

"We can carry it back for you," said Aurora.

"You're dragons, not pack mules," said Serenity.

"It's no heavier than a large halibut," said Re. "It'll be no trouble." Serenity sighed.

"Very well," she said. "How's your head?"

"It hurts," Re said. "But I can make it back to Berk."

"I'll look at it when we get there," Serenity said.

"We should get going," said Aurora. "I'm sure these dragons would like to get back to their eggs." Windwalker handed Serenity her bag. The riders mounted their dragons, Chris mounted Windwalker, and Serenity mounted Aurora. They took off, with Re carrying Tenor's saddle. They headed back to Berk.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was well into the afternoon when the landed in the plaza. Everyone was quite tired from all the flying and searching. Serenity noticed that the Berkian dragons looked quite hungry.

"Oh dear," she said. "I'm so sorry I made you guys search all over the Archipelago."

"You didn't make us," Hookfang said. "You had no way of knowing we were looking for you." Serenity sighed and looked around.

"I wonder where Tenor went?" she said.

"He's here somewhere," said Re. "Let's go find him, then Chris can tell us all his story."

They all headed up to the apple tree. When they got there they didn't see anyone.

"Tenor!" Serenity called.

"I'm up here," Tenor called from above. They all looked up at the tree. They could barely make out Tenor's dark shape among the dark branches and dense leaves. Windwalker narrowed her eyes to try and see him better, but the tree was blocking her view.

"Why don't you come down, we're about to hear Chris's story," Aurora called up.

"I can hear it from up here," Tenor said. "I'll come down later." He laid down on a strong branch, way up high.

"Alright," Re said. He lit the fire pit, and they all sat around it. Serenity ignored her chair and sat beside Re and Aurora. When everyone was settled, they looked at Chris and Windwalker. They were all listening.

"Well, all I remember that day," Chris began. "Was flying through the storm, it was scary." He looked at Re who had a look of pain and regret on his face again. Serenity stroked his neck, she knew this was not going to be easy.

"Dad, it wasn't your fault," Chris said. "I know you think it was, but I can assure you it wasn't. Yes, I did fall off. The rain made it too slippery to hold on." Re lowered his head, and let out a small, sad, moan.

"It was my fault," he said. "I should've made sure you were properly in my saddle."

"And you did," Chris said, sounding very reassuring. "You did what any father would do, you made sure I was out of harm's way. It was either the storm or the ambushing villagers. You were thinking rationally and chose the safer path, I don't blame you." Re suddenly became angry.

"If it wasn't for that storm..." he paused, a growl escaped from his throat.

"That was no one's fault by nature's," said Chris. "You had no idea the storm was going to be that violent." Re took a deep breath. Serenity stroked his cheek, it seemed to help put his mind at ease.

"How did you survive that storm?" Tenor asked from above.

"I don't know how it happened," Chris said. "I was sinking into the abyss, blacked out, woke up, and the next thing I knew a family of Sea Shockers had saved me from drowning."

"How did you survive all the years afterwords?" asked Aurora.

"I saved him of course," said Windwalker. Chris turned on her sharpish.

"No you didn't," he said. "I save you, if I remember correctly."

"I could've easily broken out of that cage," scoffed Windwalker."That's why you couldn't move right?" said Chris. "The heavy, iron shackles were so weak you could have broken out at anytime."

"Darn right," said Windwalker pridefully. Everyone exchanged a confused glance.

"I'm confused," said Re.

"Okay, here's the story," said Chris. "After the Sea Shockers dropped me off at an unknown island. I looked around for shelter from the storm. After the storm was over I found berry bushes. But then I was captured by a group men who spoke a strange language. They dragged me to their camp and took me to a tent, which was obviously a forge. There they, they branded me on the back before throwing me into a cage." Serenity shuttered violently at the very thought and buried her face in her hands, she though she had had it bad getting beaten with a shovel as a child. Re put a wing around her.

"Don't worry," Chris said. "That was the only bad part. Should I continue?"

"Yes," Serenity said. She took a few deep breaths and calmed down again.

"Anyway," Chris continued. "I was in that cage for four days going in and out of consciousness. That's when I met Windwalker. She was in a cage beside mine. She was suspicious of me until she found out I could speak her language. We exchanged a few sarcastic comments. Then a guard or something came up and hit her in the head hard, then he left. I managed to claw a nail out of a crate and used it to get myself out of my restraints. Then I released Windwalker, then released all the other prisoners some were human and some were dragons. We put our heads together and formed an escape plan. We were suddenly attacked by a different guy. Windwalker took him down and I took his swords. We left the tent and put our plan into action. I found the guy who had hit Windwalker, and killed him. Then with the help of the other captured dragons we escaped, Windwalker let me ride on her back. She told the dragons to drop off the humans at a safe location. After that Windwalker brought me here. We talked the whole way about our lives and where we came from. Over these passed ten years we've become very good friends. We've become more brother and sister than just friends."

"For the past few years we've been fighting a very powerful enemy," Windwalker said, with Serenity translating. "I promised Chris that if he helped us win the war, then I would return him home."

"You won then?" asked Snotlout. Windwalker nodded.

"But at a great cost," she said. "My squadron and I lived in a mountain deep in the far east. For a long time the enemy couldn't find it, and we were able to maintain the high ground."

"But they did find you?" Tenor asked from above.

"They didn't just find the mountain," Chris said, he talked quietly. "They laid siege to it. The squadron fought as best they could, but we were badly outnumbered and outmatched. Many dragons were killed and the mountain nest was destroyed."

"Destroyed!?" said everyone in unison.

"How do you destroy a mountain?" Serenity asked. "Unless it erupted."

"No, it didn't erupt," Windwalker said. "The enemy had this new weapon, in the form of black powder. It's like Zibbleback gas, only twice as explosive. They used a lot of it to blow up the whole mountain. My squadron and I are now homeless. But since Chris held up his end of the deal and helped us win, It was my turn to uphold my end and bring Chris back to you guys."

"Who was this powerful enemy?" Aurora asked. "And how did you defeat them?"

"We were fighting an army known in the area as the Song Dynasty," Chris said. "They wanted more land so they invaded the surrounding lands and villages. Our squadron was able to hold their own against them for a long time. We defeated them by turning an ally of theirs against them." Re and Aurora exchanged a glance.

"Shame we weren't alerted to this," Aurora said. "We could have brought in the Draconian squadrons, we've could have helped."

"I've considered it a few times," Chris said. "But I didn't want to risk your lives. Draconia would have suffered a terrible loss, I would have as well." Both Re and Aurora looked both touched and a bit offended.

"As king and queen it's our job to put our lives on the line for our kind," Re said.

"What's done is done," said Aurora. "There's no use arguing about it now. We were exactly where Father wanted us to be."

Tenor glanced down at the group. He noticed Windwalker glancing up at him out of the corner of her eye. He knew she couldn't really see him through the dense leaves. Tenor considered coming out into the sunlight. But he'd done that with so many other females, and they turned him down every time. Calling him a disgrace to dragon kind. He didn't want to go through that pain again.

With the story over. The Berkians headed back downstairs and the Draconians settled down after the long flight. Serenity unloaded her gear and set her saddle on a lower branch. Windwalkher looked up into the tree again. All she could see were Tenor's green eyes, the rest of him was still blocked by branches and leaves. She thought about climbing up to him, but figured that would scare him off.

"Hello up there," she called.

"Hi," Tenor answered quietly. "You had a nice flight?"

"I did," Windwalker said. "It's been a while since I've seen the ocean."

"That's a shame," Tenor said. "I could look at if forever, and never get tired of it. I'm sorry about your nest. I've known many dragons who've lost their homes to humans. The wild dragons on this island lost their alpha to humans."

"Is that how Toothless became alpha here?" Windwalker asked.

"Yeah," Tenor said. "He defeated the villain that killed the previous alpha, and that cemented him as the boss."

"Him? With the crippled tail?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," said Tenor. "It was pretty cool to watch." He shifted his weight on the tree branch. He glanced over to where Serenity and Chris were sitting and talking.

"So what do you think of my rider?" Tenor asked. "After hearing about her for so long." Windwalker glanced over at said dragon healer.

"She's very pretty, and she seems really nice," she said. "But she seems delicate. I would think she'd be the type to hang out with unicorns or mermaids."

"She likes those things sure," Tenor said. "But she loves us dragons because we loved her first."

"Chris said she hates fighting," Windwalker said.

"Yeah, she never touches a weapon," Tenor said. "I for one, am just fine with her not fighting."

"And she's a healer," Windwalker said.

"Oh, she's the best," Tenor said. "She's saved the lives of so many dragons, and without a single weapon. The dragons around these parts who've heard of her, don't think rash of her because they know they may need her help one day." He yawned and stretched.

"You must be getting tired of sitting up there," said Windwalker. "Why don't you come down."

"I'm fine," Tenor said.

"What are you so afraid of?" Windwalker said. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Every female has said that to me before I showed them what I looked like," Tenor said, his voice was shaky now. "But when I came out into the light, they just looked at me like I would attack them or like I was some mutated monster. They would jump me and then run off. So I stay in the shadows, where I feel safe."

"You do know I can see in the dark," said Windwalker. "You're hiding options are very few around me." She could see him tense up, like he was about to fly away. "Don't go, I like talking to you." Tenor relaxed a bit, but stayed on his branch.

"The Berkians said you're a hybrid," said Windwalker.

"That's one thing I am," Tenor said. "I'm the rarest hybrid, the rarest dragon in the world." He yawned again.

"You okay up there?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," Tenor said. "It's been a long trip. I'm pretty sure you had a long trip as well."

"Are you nocturnal too?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," said Tenor. "Serenity and I fly nights and camp out during the day. She's very patient with me being nocturnal. She's adapted to my ways." Windwalker looked back over to Serenity and Chris.

"They seem happy to be together again," she said.

"Especially when Serenity was so sure she wouldn't see Chris again," Tenor said.

"She talked about him often?" Windwalker asked.

"Many times," said Tenor. "But she only talked to me about him. She doesn't fully trust these vikings with such a personal matter."

"I see," said Windwalker. "Well I'll let you get some rest, maybe we can go hunting later."

"Perhaps," Tenor said. He made himself comfortable on the tree branch and dozed off.

Windwalker looked up at Tenor on the branch. She considered climbing up to him and getting a good look at him. But she didn't know how sensitive his hearing was, and didn't know if he would hear her approaching and fly off. So she turned away from the tree, letting him be. She went over to the others.

"Just how many females turned Tenor down?" Windwalker asked. Re and Aurora exchanged a solum glance.

"All of them," said Aurora sadly.

"All of them?" said Windwalker, shocked.

"Every single female in Draconia turned him down," said Aurora. "I've even had to turn him down, but I was one of the very few who did it nicely. It was pretty hard for me to say no, especially after he caught a the biggest octopus for me, because he knows octopus is my favorite."

"And that's what makes him reluctant to come out," said Windwalker.

"Give him time, he'll come out," Re said. Windwalker let it go for now. She made herself comfortable on the dragonnip. She started coming with ways to get Tenor out into the light.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Later in the day the Berkian dragons had flown back to their nests. Aurora predicted that their eggs were due to hatch very soon. She and Re helped Hiccup and Toothless with their leadership duties. Tenor stayed asleep on his branch. Serenity glanced up at him as she finished cleaning her saddle. She knew it would be a while before she could fly with him again. So when she finished with her saddle, she set it on a rock for next time. Just then Chris and Windwalker came up to her.

"You look bored," Chris said.

"Well, with Tenor acting the way he is, I'm kind of grounded," Serenity said, turning to face him.

"You're just going to let him hide away?" Windwalker asked.

"I understand his pain," Serenity said. "I know what it feels like to be rejected by my own, over and over. I know Tenor will come back out when he's ready." She left the saddle where it was.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?" Chris asked. Serenity considered.

"I plan to check on Re's injury," she said. "Make sure it's not hurting him too much. After that, I don't know."

"Have you every ridden a Night Fury?" Chris asked.

"Yes," said Serenity. "I've had to fly Toothless before. But only in emergency situations."

"How did he lose his tail fin?" Windwalker asked.

"He lost it when Hiccup shot him down," Serenity said. "Back when this place was still fighting dragons."

"That's sad," Windwalker remarked.

"They consider themselves equal though," Serenity said. "Since Toothless lost his tail fin and Hiccup lost his leg."

Just then Re and Aurora returned. Re shook his head, the pain was becoming unbearable. Serenity looked at him concerned.

"Has it gotten worse?" she asked.

"Yes," Re moaned. Serenity retrieved her medical bag from beside the tree, and went over to him. Re lowered his head to her level. Serenity took off his crown and set it aside. She began examining the scar on Re's head.

"I'll try not to hurt too much," she said softly. She kept her touch light, feeling for the gap in his skull. She soon found it. It was noticeably smaller. Re flinched a bit, but kept as still as he could.

"How bad is it?" he asked.

"Not as bad as last time," Serenity said. "It's getting a lot better." She rolled up her sleeves and placed a hand on Re's lower jaw. "Open." Re opened his mouth as wide as he could. Serenity felt around in his mouth for the other scar. She found it easily, and felt that the skin around it felt burned, blistered, and the skin was peeling off. She tutted and pulled her hand out.

"You should ease up on the firebreathing," she said. "Until the protective layer regenerates. Your mouth feels badly burned."

"It really hurts to," Re said. He sighed and yawned.

"I should put something on it before it gets infected," Serenity said. "And clip away all that dead skin." She sat in the bench beside the picnic table, putting her bag beside her. "You should lie down, this'll take awhile." Re laid down in front of her, and opened his mouth again. Serenity propped his mouth open and dug out tools and medicine out of her bag.

She got to work. She sang while she worked, to keep Re calm and relaxed. Serenity clipped away all the dead and peeling skin on the inside of his mouth. The others watched quietly. Chris couldn't help but be impressed by Serenity's skill as a healer. She didn't seem to be phased at all by digging around in the slimy mouth of a dragon.

Soon she was finished and put a disinfectant on the scars. She then gave Re morphine to dull the pain. Then she took the prop out and let him close his mouth.

"Does that feel better?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," Re said. Serenity kissed his muzzle.

"Hang in there sir," she said gently. "It'll get better." Re nuzzled her and got to his feet. He stretched his wings, then put his crown back on.

"Thank you Serenity," Aurora said.

"You're welcome," said Serenity. "It's nothing really."

"What do you guys have planned for the rest of the day?" Re asked, looking at Chris, Serenity and Windwalker.

"We were hoping to go for a night flight," Chris said.

"Maybe you can convince Tenor to come down, then we can all go," Windwalker suggested, looking at Serenity. Serenity sighed and looked up to where Tenor was still sleeping.

"I'll talk to him," she said. "But I don't want to force him to do anything. That's not what friends do." She took her hat off and set it on her chair. She climbed up her tree to the branch Tenor was sleeping on and sat beside him. She stroked his neck, to let him know she was there. Tenor stirred and opened his eyes.

"Hey Tenor, how are you doing?" Serenity asked softly. Tenor yawned and sat up.

"I'm alright," he said.

"It'll be dark soon," Serenity said. "And we were hoping to go for a night flight, just Chris, Windwalker, and myself. I was hoping you would join us." Tenor considered, looking down at Windwalker. He still looked nervous.

"I don't think Windwalker will mind you being half Night Fury," Serenity said. "She doesn't mind that Toothless has half a tail fin." Tenor sighed.

"You must miss riding me too," he said. Serenity nodded. She scratched beneath his sonar flaps. He purred and leaned into her touch.

"It would be a lot easier for you," she said. "Rather than spending the rest of your life sitting on this old branch." Tenor laid his head on her lap.

"What if Windwalker doesn't like me?" he asked. "Like all the other females I'd shown myself to." Serenity stroked his forehead. He relaxed and closed his eyes lazily. To him, her hands were like a comfort blanket to him.

"You were the strong one who got me to face other humans," she said. "Even though it was scary for me, after all the abuse I'd gone through. I want to help you now. You're the bravest dragon I know. You're not scared of anything." Tenor sighed again.

"Alright," he said. "I guess if she rejects me I still have you, and my Berkian friends." Serenity smiled and hugged his head. "I'll be right down." Serenity kissed his face, then made her way back down the tree.

She jumped to the ground and joined the others.

"He'll come out," she said. Windwalker beamed.

"Will you give us a minuet?" she asked. They nodded and headed down the hill, Chris holding his hand out for Serenity. When they were all gone, Windwalker approached the tree again. Tenor slowly made his way down the tree. He glided to the ground behind the trunk.

"You okay?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," Tenor said. "You're right, I was getting tired and stif from sitting on that branch."

"Nothing beats soft grass," Windwalker said. Tenor murmured in agreement.

"You really want to know what I look like?" he asked.

"I do," said Windwalker.

"I should warn you," Tenor said. "You may not like what you see."

"That's ok, I still want to know," said Windwalker. "Just come out." Tenor took a deep breath, and came around the trunk, into the light. He stood there quietly, looking sheepish. Windwalker looked him up and down.

Tenor was the blackest dragon she'd ever seen. He was as black as obsidian stone, and his spines were just as shiny. Almost everything on him was solid black, even his teeth. His eyes were bright green, and quite large. They stood out vividly against is black scales. But of course that wasn't the biggest thing Windwalker noticed about him.

"You're half Night Fury," she said.

"Yes," Tenor said. "And half Blackfang."

"Well, that is interesting," Windwalker said. She approached him slowly, he didn't move. She walked all the way around him, keeping her slow pace. She noticed more things about him. His legs were long, his body was small, and his black wings were huge, bigger than his body. His tail seemed to be an inch or two longer than hers, and slightly thinner. His tail fins were the right size though, as well as he ones at the base of his tail. Windwalker faced him in front again. "You do look odd," she admitted. "But that doesn't mean I don't like what I see." Tenor looked surprised.

"You don't consider me a disgrace to dragon kind?" he asked, hopeful.

"No," said Windwalker. "In fact, you're down right, beautiful. I've never seen such black scales, not even on a Night Fury." Tenor perked his ears up.

"No one's ever called me that before," he said.

"You must be fast," Windwalker said. Tenor nodded.

"Very fast," he said. "On land, air, and water. But I haven't raced anyone in years."

"Why?" Windwalker asked.

"I'm too fast for them," Tenor explained. "I've raced, and won everytime. I'm tired of it."

"You've never lost a race," said Windwalker, it wasn't a question.

"No," Tenor said. "Sometimes I would intentionally lose, but that didn't make the other dragon's change their opinions about me."

"So being half Night Fury, you must have only have half the speed I do," Windwalker said. Tenor looked at her.

"Maybe," he said. "I have no idea how fast I am really. A Night Fury probably beat me, in the air. But I doubt one could beat me on land."

"Hmm, you never raced Toothless?" Windwalker asked.

"No, we were too busy fighting bad guys to race," Tenor said. "Saving energy for fighting."

"What sort of bad guys?" Windwalker asked.

"Ah, dragon hunters mostly," Tenor said. He absentmindedly ran his talons through the grass.

"The others are going to be back soon," Windwalker said. "You coming with us tonight?"

"Yes," said Tenor. "I should make it up to Serenity after running off on her." He looked over at his saddle on the rock.

"Serenity's pretty lucky to have a dragon like you," Windwalker said. Tenor smiled for the first time in a long while.

"Not as lucky as I am to have her," he said. "She's probably saved more lives than I have." He stretched his stiff muscles. He flapped his wings a few times.

"These days I use my speed and stealth for hunting," he said.

"A very good use for it," Windwalker said. "Still if you had a real challenge, would you race again?" Tenor considered.

"Are you challenging me to a race?" he asked.

"Why not?" said Windwalker. "One lap around the island, while we wait for the others." Tenor stood at his full height, which wasn't that much taller than her.

"Alright," he said. They spread their wings and took off.

They flew at high speed up the island's coastline. At first no one pulled ahead. They reached the top of the island and picked up speed. Tenor pumped his wings hard. Windwalker pulled ahead. Tenor stayed where he was, waiting for his moment. They flew back up the other side.

When they saw the village, Tenor made his move. He gave his wings a powerful thrust back, and shot forward. He flew slightly higher and pulled level with Windwalker. When they were within reach of the apple tree, Tenor gave his wings one more powerful thrust and took the lead. Windwalker just managed to put on a bust of speed, but ended up ramming into him, which caused them both to crash onto the grass. Tenor landed on his back. He laughed out loud. He stayed on his back and Windwalker got to her feet.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Oh, I've never felt better," Tenor said cheerfully. He rolled over and got to his feet. He shook himself and folded his wings.

"That was some good flying," Windwalker said.

"Thanks," Tenor said. "You too."

The others soon returned. The sun was setting and snow clouds were moving in. The vikings were wrapping up their chores, and many for the dragons were coming in from fishing. Serenity packed up her medical bag. She was faintly aware of Chris watching her. She didn't mind of course.

"Have you ever flown under the Northern Lights?" she asked him.

"No," said Chris. "I was living in the wrong part of the world."

"It's pretty neat," said Serenity. "They're really pretty. It's like flying under curtains of pure color. They're going to be out tonight. You want to go see them?"

"It's supposed to snow tonight," Chris said.

"We would have to fly above the clouds," said Serenity, nodding in agreement. "I've done it before."

"You know this is the first time I've flown over the ocean since, that night," Chris said. Serenity's eyes soften and she held his hand.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," she said. "We can go for a short flight before it snows." Chris relaxed and gripped her hand.

"I would prefer that, at least for now," he said.

"I'll saddle up," Serenity said. She picked up her saddle off the rock and went over to Tenor. She saddled him up, and put her medical bag on the back of her saddle.

"Why're you bringing that?" Windwalker asked.

"I don't go anywhere without it," Serenity said. "I like to be prepared for anything."

"With luck, she won't have to use it," Tenor said. "We should get going, before it starts snowing." Serenity mounted him and Chris mounted Windwalker. They took off and flew over the island. They stayed within sight of the village. They let the dragons do whatever tricks they wanted. Chris couldn't deny that Serenity was a very good rider. Tenor flew pretty erratically, twisting, spinning, and diving at high speed, but she was able to stay center in the saddle. Windwalker was also impressed with Tenor's flying. He never broke concentration and flew with expert coordination.

But soon the wind picked up and it started to snow. They headed back and landed next to the apple tree. Chris and Serenity dismounted. Re and Aurora were resting beside the tree trunk.

"The blizzard will be rough," Aurora said. "But the village will survive."

"So you really can see the future," Windwalker said. "Chris said you had magic."

"Yes," said Aurora. "These vikings don't know, Father doesn't want them to know. Neither of us want my magic to be used as a weapon by humans."

"So, what do you use it for, if not for fighting?" asked Windwalker.

"Well, for now I'm using it to keep the snow off us," said Aurora. "I find several uses for magic, that doesn't involve fighting."

"What else can you do besides see the future?" asked Windwalker.

"I can read and control minds, I can move things with my mind, I can make plants grow at a rapid rate, I can make myself invisible, I can shape shift. Really the only two things I can't do, is create life or raise the dead."

"You can't create your own egg?" asked Windwalker.

"Not with magic," said Aurora. "I would have to get an egg the old fashioned way." She yawned. "We should get some rest. I've made sure the winter weather won't touch us, it will be a while before it's over."

The four dragons made themselves comfortable around the apple tree. Chris turned to Serenity.

"What's in that chest, the one in the tree trunk?" he asked.

"You found that huh?" Serenity said, smiling. "There's nothing impressive, just gold." She got to her feet and opened the hidden door in the tree trunk. They entered the small room. Serenity reached into her pocket and pulled out a small skeleton key. She unlocked the chest and pushed the lid up. The chest was filled with gold coins, and a few pearls and diamonds. On the top of the pile was a huge book with sapphires and emeralds in the cover.

"It's my emergency stash," Serenity explained.

"You don't find value in gold either," Chris said, it wasn't a question.

"No, gold comes and goes," Serenity said. "Family is forever." She closed the lid and locked it again. She stood up and faced him. They left the room. "You can sleep in that house if you want, I'll sleep in here like I used to do." Chris smiled gratefully at her.

"I appreciate that," he said. "But I've become too accustomed to sleeping next to a dragon. I'll be fine out here."

"Ok, if you're sure," Serenity said. "I'll leave it unlocked, incase you change your mind." She hugged him, and he returned the gesture.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For coming back." Chris tightened his hold on her.

"You're welcome," he said. They held each other for several, quiet minuets. They separated after a while.

"You going to me okay out here?" Serenity asked.

"I'll be fine," Chris assured her.

"I'll see you in the morning then," Serenity said. She kissed his cheek and went back into the tree trunk. They both soon went to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

About halfway through the night the snowstorm turned to a thunderstorm. Waves crashed against the cliffs, and lightning struck the trees. Aurora's magic kept the rain off the apple tree. Everyone was quietly sleeping for the moment. A loud thunderclap startled Chris awake. He sat up and glanced around. It was raining heavily, but the area below the tree was completely dry and quite warm. Lighting lit up the sky and waves crashed all over. Chris looked over at the tree trunk where Serenity was sleeping. Tenor was hanging from a low branch. The storm continued to rage around the island. Chris found he was unable to get back to sleep. He considered going to the tree trunk, but he didn't want to startle Serenity. Still he couldn't stop thinking about her. Ever since they'd become reunited, he felt their relationship wasn't the same. They were still best friends, yet he felt she as more than a friend to him. He couldn't deny that he liked her, a lot.

Soon the storm ended and the sun started to rise. Chris got to he feet and stretched. He sat on one of the vacant chairs by the fire pit, and waited for Serenity wake up.

The other Draconians soon woke up. Serenity came out of her tree. Chris smiled when he saw her.

"Good morning," he said, getting to his feet.

"Hi Chris," Serenity said, hugging him. "You sleep okay?"

"Very well," Chris said. Windwalker looked over at Tenor, who was still hanging from his branch, asleep. She nudged him.

"Hey, wake up," she said. Tenor wrapped his wings further around himself and didn't wake up. Windwalker narrowed her eyes. She jumped onto his branch, and approached his curled tail. She clamped it in her gums and unhooked it from the branch, she let go and he tumbled to the ground. That woke him up.

"No fair," he complained. He untangled himself and got to his feet. He stretched his wings.

"I know, I'm not your mother," Windwalker said. "But someone has to keep you from being lazy." Tenor sighed and exchanged a glance with Re.

"I've never had a mother," Tenor said. Windwalker tilted her head in curiosity.

"You obviously had one once," she said.

"Obviously," Tenor agreed. "But she and my father left before I hatched." He stretched the rest of his limbs.

"You an orphan?" Windwalker asked.

"Probably," Tenor said.

"We have no idea what happened to his parents," said Re. "My mother opened the castle doors one morning, and there was his egg, abandoned."

"Oh, I'm sorry Tenor," Windwalker said.

"It's okay," Tenor said. "I'm over it now."

"Well, I'm going for a short flight," Re said. "Then we can go fishing." He spread his wings and took off.

He flew over the village. The Berkians were awake by now and starting their chores. Toothless was wandering about looking for dragon disputes to resolve. Re swopped down and landed beside him.

"Good morning, your majesty," Toothless said.

"How are you doing?" Re asked.

"I've officially become a baby sitter," Toothless said. "I've already resolved four arguments and the sun's not even up all the way."

"Indeed," Re agreed.

"But other than that, I'm doing okay," Toothless said. "I'll be happier when my friends get back."

"Let me know if you need anything," Re said. He spread his wings and took off again. He was about to head back to the tree, when he spotted Hiccup sitting alone on the roof of his house. He seemed troubled. Re flew down and hovered in front of him.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah I'm okay," Hiccup said. Re narrowed his eyes.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "Why the long face?" Hiccup didn't say anything, but he glanced up at the giant carving of Stoic. Re followed his gaze.

"I see," he said. "Well don't let me bother you." He started to fly off, back to the tree. But then a thought came to Hiccup.

"Hang on a second Re," he said. Re paused and looked at him. "How long have you been king?"

"Hmmm," Re said, landing on the rooftop. "About fifty years, maybe a little more." Hiccup looked a bit surprised, as he turned to face Re.

"How old are you?" he asked.

"Ooooh, about a hundred plus years," Re said. He spotted the shocked look on Hiccup's face. "What? Did you think I was a young dragon?" He giggled.

"Well you don't look that old, no holes in your wings, you have all your teeth and both your horns," Hiccup said.

"That's because I'm not the type that goes out looking for a fight," Re said. "We dragons don't weaken with age like you humans. The older we get the stronger we get. Why you ask?"

"It's been hard, being chief without my dad here to help me," Hiccup said. Re didn't say anything at first. But Hiccup could tell he understood.

"I didn't really have my father by my side when I started out as king," Re said after awhile. "He was around but, he left all the decision making to me and my comrades. Both my parents were taken up to the Dragon Heaven at the beginning of my second year. I had a tough time myself. You've got it easy here. You only have half a village to run, I have 600,000 square miles of nation to run."

"Half a village?" Hiccup asked, confused.

"Toothless runs the other half," Re clarified.

"Oh," said Hiccup. Re fell silent again. "The way you put it, it does sound a bit smaller." Re nodded.

"I have ways of turning mountains back into molehills," he said. Hiccup got to his feet and faced Re.

"I can't compare to you Re," he said. "I can't breath fire, or fly." Re looked amused again. He hooked the tip of his tail onto the leather loop on Hiccup's flight suit, and pulled out one of the leather wings.

"You get my point," Hiccup said, rolling the wing back up. "But my point is, I could use your help with this. You're the only one left who's had a lot of leadership experience." Re considered, for quite a long time.

"Stoic saved my jaw, out there on the battlefield," he said, after a while, placing his paw over the scar on his snout. "I owe it to him I suppose. All right, I'll help you. But that doesn't mean I'll do your job for you. I'll be your friendly coach." Just then there came a loud call from up the hill. Re glanced in the direction the call came from.

"Is that Aurora?" Hiccup asked.

"Yeah," Re said. He called back, letting her know he was on his way. "I shouldn't keep her waiting."

"Okay, thanks Re," Hiccup said. Re spread his wings and took off.

He returned to the tree and landed beside Aurora. She smiled and nuzzled his neck.

"Sorry I took so long," Re said.

"No worries," Aurora said. "I'd wait all day for you."

"Hiccup asked me to coach him in being a leader," Re said. "Since I have over fifty years of experience." Windwalker then changed the subject.

"Say how do you guy do in the sparing circle?" she asked. Re and Aurora exchanged a glance.

"Not as well as we do in battle," Re said. "Truth is we avoid fighting if we can."

"We only fight when we absolutely have to," said Aurora. "The rest of the time we focus on just being dragons."

"How long have you guys been allies with these vikings?" Chris asked.

"I landed on this island five years ago," said Serenity. "Shortly after these vikings ended their fight against dragons. About a year later Re, Aurora, and Tenor signed a treaty with Stoic and that made the alliance official."

"So you're the one who started the alliance?" asked Windwalker.

"No, Hiccup started the alliance, I just showed up here one day," said Serenity.

"Well, we should head out, and find us some food," Re said.

"I agree," said Aurora. "I can sense a school of tuna not far from here."

"You two coming too?" Re asked Windwalker and Tenor. "Or do you want to wait until nightfall?"

"I'll wait," said Tenor. "I can get a better hunt at night."

"I'll wait too," said Windwalker. "We can keep these humans company."

"Alright," said Re. "We'll be back in a while." He and Aurora spread their wings and took off. Tenor lit the fire pit. Serenity turned to Chris.

"So, how did you know I was up here?" she asked.

"One of my dragon friends told me you were living in a viking village," Chris said. "And I remembered that vikings lived in the North Sea. So we flew around until I spotted your tree on this island."

"How did you know I wasn't back at home?" Serenity asked.

"I didn't," Chris said.

"What was the name of this dragon that told you she was up here?" Tenor asked.

"Pyro," said Windwalker. Both Serenity and Tenor looked surprised.

"The Titan Wing Monstrous Nightmare?" Serenity asked.

"Yeah, that's him," said Chris. Serenity looked completely bewildered.

"Talk about small worlds," said Tenor.

"I remember he said he came from a mountain where all the dragons had unlocked their tian wing," said Serenity. Windwalker gave a proud purr.

"Yes, every dragon in my squadron has unlocked their titan wing," she said.

"I've never seen a dragon unlock their titan wing," said Serenity. "I was out sick when Toothless unlocked his."

"It's pretty cool to watch," Chris said. "Windwalker has developed methods to help dragons unlock their titan wing."

"Really, what methods?" Tenor asked.

"They very for every dragon," said Windwalker. "I make each dragon go through a sort of test. I put them in dangerous situations, where they must push themselves beyond their limits."

"But you don't actually hurt them," said Serenity, looking scared. Windwalker noticed.

"Oh no, goodness no," she said. "I always have a safety net. These are my friends, I would never let them get hurt. I can do the same for you three royals." She looked at Tenor, smiling. Tenor swallowed nervously.

"Re said the Night Fury titan wing is their spines glow blue," said Serenity. For an answer Windwalker went into a fighting stance, and her black scales turned neon blue and glowed like an algae bloom. The blue light went from her spines to her wings and tail, and on her forehead. Serenity looked impressed.

"Wow, and Toothless does that too?" she asked Tenor.

"Yup," said Tenor. Suddenly Serenity looked sad again.

"I missed so much," she said quietly. "If I hadn't been sick, I could have come up with you guys."

"You don't like missing out on big events?" asked Windwalker.

"If I'd known about you guys, I could have come up and helped you," Serenity said. "I wouldn't have done any fighting, but I could have put my healing skills to use." She stopped and leaned back in her seat.

"Don't worry Serenity," said Tenor. "You'll get another chance to see cool stuff." Serenity smiled at him and stroked his muzzle. She then reached into a bag that held her sewing supplies, and pulled something out.

"I wonder, you said you lived in the east," she said, looking at Chris and Windwalker. "Did you see any of these?" She held out a small figurine of an eastern dragon, made of silver and jade.

"An eastern dragon? No we didn't see any of those," said Windwalker.

"I'm not surprised," Tenor said. "Aurora said the dragons of the east rarely come to Earth. The spend their lives in the heavens."

"I've heard stories about them though," said Windwalker. "They're dragons of magic. They can control the weather and can summon spirits, among other things. The humans in their regions see them as gods."

"Mostly because humans can't kill them," said Tenor. "They're immortal, like Draco himself. Aurora will know more about them."

"What sort of tasks would you have my parents do?" Chris asked. Windwalker considered. She glanced at Serenity, ideas coming to her. Serenity sighed again.

"Does this mean I have to be a hostage again?" she asked.

"Again?" said Windwalker, shocked.

"I've been held hostage by dragon hunters and by a Death Song dragon," said Serenity.

"Well, nothing's set in stone yet," said Windwalker. "You don't need to worry." Serenity relaxed and put the little dragon figurine away. She stroked Tenor's snout absentmindedly.

Re and Aurora returned to the island a few hours later. They each carried a large tuna. They landed in the plaza. Toothless was lounging around outside the blacksmith. He smiled and approached them.

"Hello your majesties, how was your fishing trip?" he asked.

"There was a lot of tuna," said Aurora. Toothless sat on his haunches, and glanced down at his red tail fin.

"I haven't had a fresh catch in so long," he said. Re and Aurora exchanged a glance. Aurora grabbed her tuna by the tail and held to the Night Fury. Toothless smiled gratefully. He took the fish and ate it.

"So I heard you're going to be coaching my rider in leadership," Toothless said to Re.

"Yup, should be fun," Re said.

"Is Chris going to inherit the throne after you?" asked Toothless.

"No," said Aurora. "Father doesn't want humans on the Draconian throne, he wants only dragons. We will have to hatch eggs to get an heir."

"Oh, when do you think that will be?" Toothless asked. Both Re and Aurora shrugged.

"We hope soon," said Re. "But we aren't in a hurry either." He flapped his wings to keep them from cramping up. Toothless looked at Aurora.

"So, you have the same mind control powers as the Bewliderbeast?" he asked.

"Yes," said Aurora. "But the only circumstances in which I'd use it, would be on a dragon that can't control themselves. However, you my friend, I can't control with magic. Your mind has become too strong." Toothless smiled proudly.

"Well, I should get this tuna upstairs," Re said.

"Sure," said Toothless. Re and Aurora headed up to the apple tree.

The rest of the Draconians looked up from their conversation when Re and Aurora landed. Re handed Serenity the tuna, and she got to work making it into dinner. Tenor shot more fire into the fire pit. Serenity filleted the tuna and put it on a spit, then put it over the fire. Windwalker turned to Aurora.

"We were just talking about the eastern dragons, what do you know about them?" Windwalker asked. Aurora sat on her haunches.

"Quite a lot actually," she said. "The eastern dragons are a lot like the Bewilderbeast and the other giant dragons. There's a giant dragon for each element. There's a dragon known as the Foreverwing, that's the dragon for Earth and they live in the mountains and forest. The Red Death is the dragon for fire, and they live in volcanoes. The Bewilderbeast is the dragon for ice, and they live in the glaciers. The giant sea dragon Shark is the dragon for the water, and she lives in the sea. The eastern dragons are the dragons for the air element, and they live in the clouds."

"And they have magic?" asked Windwalker.

"Yup," said Aurora. "They have the power to control dragons, they also have the power to control the weather and summon spirits of both human and dragon. They use their magic to fly instead of wings. They have the toughest hide of any dragon."

"What's their view on humans?" asked Tenor.

"Since humans have no effect on them, they see the humans as cattle," said Re. "But not in a cruel way. If they see a human doing something it shouldn't, they'll stop them, either by pain of death, or by locking them up. The human in their region worship them like gods, and in return the eastern dragons give them the rain needed for their crops."

"How do they react to humans riding dragons?" asked Serenity.

"If the dragon seems happy enough, they think nothing of it," said Aurora. "However, they don't let many humans on their own backs."

"I want to see one," said Serenity.

"I know you do," said Aurora. "But you won't see one for a really long time. They almost never come to Earth."

"They can actually walk on clouds?" asked Windwalker. Aurora nodded.

"Can you imagine if one of those eastern dragons came here," said Tenor. "Fishlegs wouldn't be able to stop talking for a month." Re stretched his limbs and wings.

"Is your snout hurting you?" Serenity asked.

"No, it's fine," Re said. "I should go see if Hiccup needs my help yet." He took off and headed for the plaza.

He found a small mob in front of the forge. From what Re could hear, they were all arguing about who was first and who'd been there the longest. Re almost laughed. He swooped down and almost knocked over the vikings out front. He landed on the roof of the forge.

"Hey! Watch where you're going, you pompous lizard," shouted one viking. They all started shouting again. Re growled and did a fancy whip crack with is tail. The loud crack was enough to quiet them down. Re glided down and entered the forge. Hiccup looked badly overwhelmed but relaxed when Re came in.

"Thanks Re," he said.

"What's up with this lot?" Re asked.

"There here to pick up items we were repairing for them," Hiccup said. "They all got here around the same time, and they started arguing. I'm at the end of my rope. My voice just isn't as loud my dad's was, or as loud as your tail crack."

"Hmmm," Re considered. "There is a way to make your voice louder. I can't remember what it's called, but it's a sheet of metal rolled into a cone and attached to a stick. Sort of like your warning horn, or fog horn." Hiccup looked interested.

"How big do I make it?" he asked. Re shrugged.

"However big you want your voice to be I guess," he said.

"I don't what to do about this crisis though," said Hiccup. "My dad had a system, but I was too busy exploring to really pay attention."

"Typical for a young mind," Re said. "Nothing to be ashamed of. Anyway, if they can't decide who's first than you'll have to decide for them. Handle it like you would when the Twins argue."

"What do you do when dragons fight?" asked Hiccup. Re lifted his head and accidentally hit his horns on the ceiling.

"You don't want to use my method," he said. "When ever dragons fight, I tackle them. Aurora and Tenor help when they can. Humans don't take to that too kindly."

"Can you help me with the crowds today, until I make that metal cone you mentioned?" Hiccup asked. Re beamed and nodded. He walked farther into the blacksmith. Grump was snoozing in the corner, Gobber was not in at the moment.

All the rest of the day Re and Hiccup handled the crowds. Re used is loud roars and tail cracks to keep the arguments low. He kept bumping his horns on the ceiling, and they got pretty sore. He went back outside and onto the roof to save himself the headache.

Hiccup liked working with the old dragon, he was very helpful. In what felt like no time at all, the repaired items were all distributed and Hiccup was able to close the blacksmith early. Re jumped down from the roof.

"Thanks Re," Hiccup said. "I wish everyday was this easy."

"Days are like snowflakes, no two are the same," Re said. "Not everyday is going to be easy, but not everyday will be hard either."

"You have any more helpful phrases?" Hiccup asked.

"It's always better to admit you don't know the answer to a question, then it is to tell a lie," Re said. "I've got quite a bit of those phrases actually. I'll tell them to you in due time, if I told you all of them now you wouldn't remember them."

"Okay fair enough," Hiccup said. Just then Toothless joined them. Hiccup petted him, and he purred.

"Hello your majesty," Toothless said. "How's your head?"

"It's feeling normal," Re said. "I'll be breathing fire again in no time. However my horns are pretty sore after knocking them on the ceiling all day. A dragon my size isn't meant to be inside human dwellings." He shook his head.

"We'll going for a flight," Hiccup said. "You can come if you want."

"No thanks," Re said. "I'll be turning in soon."

"You think you can take over being alpha 'til I get back?" Toothless asked.

"Sure," Re said. "However, something I think will help both of you out a lot, is if you both got a second in command. Someone you can always rely on."

"You?" said both Hiccup and Toothless. Re sighed.

"Oooh, I wouldn't be a very good choice," he said. "One, I don't live here, and two, I have my own land to rule. I'll help you sure, but I will soon be heading home. Heck, I've got go help Windwalker's squadron find a new home."

"But you're so reliable and a good friend," Hiccup said. Re blushed.

"I will today, but nothing permanent," he said.

"Deal," said Hiccup and Toothless in unison. Re gave a soft growl. He then lifted his head towards the sky and led out a loud call. In about a minuet Aurora and Tenor flew out from behind the peak. They glided down and landed beside Re, who explained what they were doing.

"Thanks guys," Hiccup said. He mounted Toothless and took off, announcing to the village that the Draconians were in charge for a while. They then flew off. Re and his comrades took the reins until they returned.

Luckily there wasn't much to do. The sun was setting and the village was shutting down for the night. The three Draconians stayed up until Hiccup and Toothless landed in the plaza. Hiccup dismounted. He met the Draconians outside his front door. He thanked them again before heading inside. Tenor took off and headed out for his hunt. Re and Aurora flew back up to the tree and went to bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The winter holiday came and went. Hiccup didn't know how he could have handled it all without Re's coaching. It was the next best thing to having his father back. Re was enjoying it as well. He was breathing fire again, the hole in his head had healed. He was able to help Hiccup make the metal cone. Hiccup used a lot and it did indeed make his voice a lot louder. All three Draconian dragons helped around the village. Chris and Serenity continued doing things together. Windwalker started asking Tenor about his fighting skills.

"Serenity hates fighting," Tenor said. "She says there's better things in life than looking for a fight."

"Have you ever been injured in a fight?" Windwalker asked. Tenor shrugged.

"Nothing too serious," he said. "But Re has gotten injured in a fight. Serenity nearly had a heart attack when he came home with a hole in his head, and his face covered in bloodstains."

"That does sound scary," Windwalker admitted.

"How are you in a fight?" Tenor asked.

"Well, no dragon has defeated me yet," said Windwalker.

"You don't want to spar against me, I have a very poisonous bite," Tenor said.

"I know," Windwalker said.

"Have you ever been injured in a fight?" Tenor asked. Windwalker suddenly looked sad.

"I have," she said. "When I was very young." Tenor didn't push it. He jumped onto a low tree branch of the apple tree and laid down on it.

"You actually like fighting?" he asked.

"Well, I admit it's not fun when some one innocent gets hurt or killed," Windwalker said. "Re never deserved to be stabbed in the mouth. But it is quite fun to fight bad guys."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Tenor said. "I've fought and killed many foes with my bite. I've also had to fight several hostile dragons to save my rider, and these other riders."

"Well, that's not going to make you very popular," Windwalker said. "Fighting your own kind to save humans."

"I wasn't very popular in the first place," Tenor said. "Might as well help the ones who haven't shunned me."

"You really like that human girl," said Windwalker.

"I love her," said Tenor. "She has a habit of showing up, right when you need her."

"She didn't show up when Re got stabbed in the mouth," Windwalker pointed out.

"Well, she doesn't have a 100% score of course," Tenor said. "But I remember when a sword fell off the wall and stabbed my tail, she happened to be walking down the hallway. No one called her, she just showed up."

"Why was there a sword in the castle when dragons don't use swords?" asked Windwalker.

"Aurora likes to collect antiques and items of magic," said Tenor. "And that includes magic swords. It's a hobby of hers."

"Do all three of you have a hobby?" Windwalker asked.

"Yeah," Tenor said. "Re studies volcanoes, Aurora collects antiques, I study astronomy, Serenity has a whole bunch of hobbies, traveling and healing being the main ones."

"Why astronomy?" asked Windwalker.

"The stars and moon have always been a source of comfort for me," Tenor explained. "I'm a nightly dragon, so I see them quite often. I studied them during the day, and hunted beneath them at night. It kept me out of the daylight for many years. I'm now very good a navigating using the stars and moon. Do you have any hobbies?"

"I've been too busy fighting a war for hobbies," Windwalker said.

"Makes sense," said Tenor. Just then both dragons heard their riders calling them.

Serenity and Chris went for another night flight. It was a very clear night, with only a few passing clouds. After about 2 hours of flying they landed on a sea stack within view of Berk. They let the dragons rest their wings. Chris looked at Serenity, sitting on the back of her dragon.

"You actually look good on the back of a dragon," he said. Serenity smiled and dismounted. Chris joined her and took her hand in his. In the distance a huge storm was passing by. Serenity could feel Chris tense up a bit.

"You think you'll fly through another storm?" Serenity asked.

"No," said Chris.

"Even if I went with you?" asked Serenity. "I've flown through many violent storms." Chris sighed. He scanned his mind for a change of subject.

"Hiccup seems to becoming attached to Dad," he said. "And Dad seems becoming attached to him."

"They're allies," said Serenity. "Hiccup no longer has his own father around to answer his questions. You're not getting jealous are you?"

"No, I understand what Dad's doing," Chris said. "He just wants to help." He looked Serenity in the eye. "I'll have to go back with Windwalker soon, to help her friends."

"But you'll come back right?" Serenity asked. Chris smiled at her.

"I would," he said. "I've missed you too much." Serenity smiled back. They suddenly heard a thunderclap in the distance. They turned and saw lighting flash.

"We should head back," Serenity said. "Before it starts to snow."

"Do they get a lot of storms?" Chris asked.

"Around this time of year yes," said Serenity. They got back on their dragons and took off. They headed back towards the apple tree.

Tenor woke up the next morning and jumped down from his tree branch. He found Serenity sitting in her chair, she didn't look happy. Tenor faced her.

"What's the matter with you?" he asked.

"It's started again," Serenity said. She pointed towards the arena, which was in perfect view of the hospital. Tenor followed her gaze, and saw a jet of fire come out. He now knew what was upsetting her.

"Oh, I see," he said. "Are they all in there?" Serenity nodded.

"Hiccup has things handled for now," she said. "Re is taking the time off to spar with everyone else. I'm still not allowed near the arena, so I have nothing to do." Tenor nuzzled her shoulder. "You can go down there if you want to."

"And leave you hear all by yourself, bored and miserable," Tenor said. "Not a chance. Tell you what, while they're doing their own thing, we'll do ours. Let's go flying again." Serenity cheered up and got to her feet. She still looked a bit sad as she climbed onto Tenor's saddle.

"Why is fighting so important?" she asked.

"Because you're important," Tenor said. "We fight so we can keep each other safe and in one piece. We don't actually fight unless we have to." He spread his wings and took off. They flew over the village. Eret was watching them, from Skullcrusher's saddle.

In the arena the rest of the Draconians were watching Chris spar against Windwalker. Chris was anxious to show his parents the new fighting skills he'd learned over the years. He held his swords at the ready, and took several deep breaths. Windwalker readied herself. She new what was coming and contemplated how to beat him. Chris ran at her. She shot a plasma blast at him, but he jumped over it. Windwalker jumped at him, and he leaped out of her way. He slashed his swords at her, keeping her at bay. Windwalker snapped her jaws at the swords and managed to snag one of them in her teeth. She yanked the sword out of his hand and tossed it away, accidentally cutting her gums. She ignored the pain and jumped at Chris again. Again, he jumped out of the way and punched Windwalker right on the left wing joint. Windwalker found her left wing completely immobilized. It made fighting more difficult. She whipped her tail around and it connected with Chris's back. He hit the ground hard, slightly winded. Windwalker took the opportunity to throw the other sword away. Chris suddenly rolled over and punched her other wing joint, making her other wing go limp. She roared in outrage and pinned him down with her paw. Chris was about to hit her paw, but Windwalker licked his face, distracting him.

"Eww, okay okay, you win this time," Chris said. Windwalker growled proudly and helped him to his feet. They went over to Re and Aurora, Windwalker dragging her limp wings behind her.

"What did you do to her wings?" Aurora asked.

"A dragon's body has many pressure points," Chris explained. "When hit, it renders certain limbs useless. There's a big one between a dragon's wings, when that one's hit the whole body shuts down for a while."

"So it's not permeant," said Re.

"No, Windwalker will get feeling back in her wings with in 30-35 minuets," Chris said.

"How do you know where the pressure points are?" asked Aurora.

"I learned about them in dragon anatomy books in the Draconian Castle Library," Chris said. He went over to retrieve his swords. Aurora looked at Windwalker.

"Your mouth is bleeding," she said. Windwalker used her tongue to feel around in her mouth, and sure enough she tasted blood between her front teeth. Now that she new about it, it stung.

"I've had worse," she said. She then glanced towards the village in the distance. "I wonder where Tenor when."

"There he is," said Re, pointing to the black speck over the sea. Tenor turned and soared over the arena, and they saw Serenity on his back.

"I really want to see what he can do in the arena," said Windwalker.

"Well, Serenity's more important to him than fighting," Re said. "He'll only fight when she's in danger." Chris came back at that point, putting his swords away.

"The only way you'll get him to spar with you is if you find someone else to keep his rider company," Aurora said. "He won't leave her unless he has that peace of mind."

"Hmm, he sounds very loyal," said Windwalker. "When I get my wings back I'll go ask him. Meantime I'll go wash my mouth out." Aurora used her magic to create a large water bucket. Windwalker washed the blood out over her mouth. Chris glanced up as Tenor flew passed the arena again. He was pretty sure Serenity knew about the pressure points in a dragons's body.

When Windwalker got feeling back in her wings, she took off. She joined Tenor over the ocean. He turned to acknowledge her.

"You should come down and join us," Windwalker said. Tenor sighed and glanced over at his rider. He really didn't want to leave her alone.

"Serenity, if I bring you to the arena, do you promise to stay out of the fights?" he asked. Serenity frowned.

"I don't want you to get hurt," she said.

"We won't hurt him," Windwalker said. "We would never hurt our opponents."

"Your mouth is bleeding," Serenity pointed out.

"I've already rinsed it out," Windwalker said. "Accidents happen, but we'll take responsibility for anything that goes wrong." Serenity gave a nervous sigh and hugged Tenor from behind. Tenor took a deep breath.

"I will come back to you in one piece, I give you my word," he said.

"All right," said Serenity. "You can drop me off in the plaza, I'll find something to do." Tenor immediately headed for the plaza. He landed and Serenity dismounted. She kissed his muzzle. Tenor reluctantly took off and went to the arena.

Serenity wandered aimlessly around the plaza. Many of the dragons watched her, and saw the lonely expression on her face. Serenity finally headed for the hanger below. Inside she visited the blind Hobblegrunt, Gruff. She approached his stall.

"Hi Gruff?" she said, announcing her presence. Gruff turned his head in her direction and sniffed the air. He relaxed when he recognized Serenity's dragonnip sent. He lowered his head and she stroked his snout. Gruff's scales turned blue and yellow.

"Where are those family members of yours?" Gruff asked.

"In the arena," said Serenity. "I'm not a fighter, so I must stay out."

"Oh, well I'm glad you came to see me," Gruff said. Serenity hugged him. She sat down on a near by bench. Eret and Skullcrusher approached her. Gruff grew nervous but held still.

"Hello," Eret said. "Where did Tenor go?"

"He and the others are sparring in the arena," Serenity said. "I stay away, I panic whenever I see friends fighting. So I have nothing to do." She scratched Gruff behind his frill. He chirped happily. Eret sat next to her on the bench. Serenity tried not to look uncomfortable.

"What's the matter with his eyes?" Eret asked.

"Valka said he was blinded by a dragon trap," Serenity said. She looked over at him. "It wasn't yours I hope." Eret sighed.

"To be honest I can't remember," he said. "But trust me when I say, I've put that way of life behind me." Serenity gave him a small smile. Eret reached out to pet Gruff. But the dragon hissed and drew back. Serenity placed a soft hand on the dragon's snout, and calmed him down.

"It's okay," she said. Then she turned to Eret. She carefully took his hand and slowly placed it on Gruff's snout. "With dragons, you just have to me a little bit more delicate." Gruff relaxed and allowed the two humans to stroke his snout.

"You can actually talk to them?" Eret asked. "And understand what they say."

"Yup," said Serenity. "You may find it special and even unusual, but to me it's as normal as talking to you. Unfortunately, some folks around here find it rather annoying when I talk to dragons and they can't understand what we're saying." She shrugged. Gruff yawned. He carefully lifted his head and headed back into his stall. Serenity and Eret got to their feet.

"Why don't Skullcrusher and I take you for a ride while you wait for your family to finish," Eret suggested. Serenity went up to Skullcrusher and petted his snout.

"I remember when the riders first met this one," she said. "He saved them from a tidal wave. That's when they learned what he could do." Skullcrusher huffed proudly.

"Well?" Eret asked, still waiting for her answer. Serenity considered.

"Yeah, come on Serenity," Skullcrusher said. "Come fly with us. Nothing bad will happen to you." He nudged her.

"All right," she said. They both beamed. Serenity looked back at Gruff. "I'll be back later Gruff." The blind dragon just nodded.

Skullcrusher followed the two humans back outside. When they reached the plaza, Eret mounted the Rumblehorn then held his hand out for Serenity. She took it and he pulled her onto the saddle behind him. When she was secure, Skullcrusher took off. They flew over the island. They flew over the arena, where the other Draconians were still sparring. Tenor glanced up as Skullcrusher flew by. The others followed his gaze.

"Is that Serenity flying with Eret?" Re asked.

"At least she's not lonely," said Tenor. "I imagine we'll be sparring a lot, and she'll have no one to fly with while we're in here." He sat on his haunches sadly.

"Well, we won't be doing it a whole lot," Re said. "There are other things to worry about."

"Why won't she learn to fight?" Windwalker asked.

"She doesn't want to hurt anybody," said Aurora. "She says it's not her destiny to hurt people for any reason. All she wants to do is heal, and ride."

"She's also seen too much violence," Chris added. "She's been beaten almost to death by humans, and she had to watch Ruby die because she didn't have the skills to heal him." Windwalker understood that. She'd lost count of how many times one of her friends had been hurt or killed due to violence.

"I guess that explains why she worries about us sparring," she said. "She doesn't want to relive the pain of loosing another friend. But she said Lord Draco sent Ruby back to Earth."

"Yes, and now that I came back I would imagine she doesn't want to loose me again," Chris said. "Or anyone else."

"Well let get this wrapped up," Re said. "Then Tenor can go back to her." Tenor got to his feet.

He and Windwalker went to the middle of the ring. Tenor pulled his poisonous teeth into his gums, so his bite wasn't so dangerous.

"Are you ready?" Windwalker asked.

"Are you?" Tenor said. He pawed the ground. He then closed his eyes, and waited. He heard Windwalker roar and run at him. When she was close enough, he leaped into the air and she missed him. Tenor landed and opened his eyes. He pounced on Windwalker while her back was still facing him. Windwalker quickly spun round and jumped at him, knocking him out of the sky. Tenor landed on his back, hard. Windwalker pinned him down and bit his neck with her gums. Tenor let out a squeak and went limp. Windwalker let go and looked at him. Tenor instantly came back to life and bit her neck with his gums. He pinched her soft spot, and she passed out, right on top of him. Tenor gave an awkward groan, then carefully shoved her off him. He got to his feet and shook himself.

"You faked passing out," Chris said. Tenor beamed.

"It's my best fighting trick," he said. "I can be very convincing too." Chris pulled out his swords.

"I won't be so easily fooled," he said. Tenor smirked and swished his tail back and forth. Chris, removed his coat and entered the fighting ring. Tenor took another fighting stance.

"How about we make this more interesting," Tenor said. "You think you can take on both me, and Re?"

"I can," Chris said. "I've taken on three dragons at once, and won." Tenor looked over at Re. The king stepped forward and stood beside Tenor. Aurora used her magic to move Windwalker out of the way. She then laid down to watch the match.

Chris faced his dad and uncle, both of whom were growling. Tenor still had his teeth in his gums.

"Know this, I am not the little kid you sparred agains all those years ago," Chris said. Tenor took advantage of him talking, and pounced at Chris. Chris jumped aside just in time. Tenor snapped his jaws at him, Chris slammed the hilt of one of his swords into Tenor's face stunning him. He suddenly heard movement behind him. He spun round in time to dodge a blast of fire from Re. The dragon pounced on him, but Chris jumped a side and used his swords to cut the leather straps that secured Re's gold armor. Re hissed and used his tai to trip Chris, who fell on his back side and dropped his swords. Re took the small window to take off his armor, leaving his crown on. Chris got up and picked up his swords. He then clicked the two swords together at their hilt, creating a sword staff. Tenor came up beside Re. Chris ran at them, his weapon ready. Re roared and whipped Chris right on the hand. It stung like a thousand wasp stings. Chris cried out in pain, but managed to keep a grip on his sword. Re jumped at him. Chris slashed his swords at him, making him alter course. Chris then punched Re's leg, making it go limp. Re roared in outrage and fell over onto his side. Just as he was rolling onto his front, Chris punched him right between the wings and he fell to the ground and went limp. Tenor snarled. Chris turned to face him, the hilt of his swords were slippery with all the blood from his whipped hand. Tenor shot a plasma blast at Chris. He swing at it with his swords, and the blast bounced off the blade with a loud 'ping'. It was now heading back to Tenor. It hit him right in the face, and severely stunned him. Chris took the opportunity and ran at Tenor. He pinched his soft spot, and Tenor went down as well. Chris stood there panting. He unlatched his swords and put them away. He glanced at his mother. Aurora's silver eyes were filled with pride.

"That was very impressive," she purred. "I am proud to call you my son." Chris smiled at her.

"You want a turn Mom?" he asked.

"Another day," said Aurora. She went over to were her mate, and nuzzled him. "You should get your hand taken care of. Serenity has returned to her tree." Chris glanced down at his hand. The small barbs on Re's tail had ripped the skin open the back of his hand, and it was bleeding. He was starting to feel dizzy, and his hand was really stinging.

Aurora flew him up to the apple tree. She dropped him off, before returning to the arena to wait for the others to get back on their feet. Chris found Serenity sitting in her chair looking bored. She glanced up when he approached her.

"Are you okay?" she asked, getting the her feet.

"Dad got me with his tail," Chris said, holding up his injured hand. Serenity didn't panic like he'd expected, but she did look a touch sad.

"Come, sit down I'll take care of it," she said, gesturing to the picnic table. Chris sat down while Serenity got her medical bag, and a wooden bowel. She sat down across from him. She dug through her bag and pulled out a large jar, a syringe, small bottle, cloth, needle, thread, and bandages. The jar had a Night Fury symbol on it. Serenity soaked the cloth in the translucent, white fluid, that looked a little like slime.

"What is that?" Chris asked.

"It's Night Fury saliva," Serenity said. "It's very good for preventing infection." She gently took Chris's injured hand and held it over the wooden bowel. She began to clean the injury, as gently as she could.

"I didn't know Night Fury saliva had healing properties," Chris said. Serenity smiled.

"Well, you learn something new everyday," she said. "Where are the others?"

"They're still down at the arena," Chris said. "Tenor won a spar against Windwalker, and I sparred against Tenor and Dad. I hit their pressure points, and now they can't move for a while."

"You didn't hurt them though," said Serenity as she filled the syringe.

"No," said Chris. "This new technique allows me to win without hurting anyone. I read about the pressure points in dragon anatomy books in the Castle Library." Serenity looked at him, a bit surprised.

"I thought I was the only one who read those," she said.

"Well, you learn something new everyday," Chris said. Serenity laughed. She injected the morphine into Chris's hand.

"So, you do know about those pressure points," Chris said.

"I do," said Serenity. "Those are the spots where I stick the needles." She held up the syringe as she put a cap on the needle. She set it aside and pulled out the needle and thread. Chris felt a dead, numb feeling in his hand and no longer felt his injury. She filled a goblet with water and handed it to him. He drank it, not realizing how thirsty he was. Serenity began sewing up his injury. Chris watched her work. He felt a sudden attraction to her, and it distracted him from his injury. Serenity finished her sewing, quicker than he'd expected. She dabbed more Night Fury saliva on the stitches, then began wrapping up his hand in the bandages. Chris watched her, now noticing just how soft the skin of her hands felt. She wrapped the bandages around his hand, nice and snug. When she was finished, she released his hand. Chris grasped her hand in both of his.

"Thanks," he said. Serenity smiled and gripped his hands.

"It felt like old times," she said. "Only a bit more intense. Do you remember when you shoved a foil up Re's nostril?" Chris chuckled.

"Yeah, he couldn't get it out," he said. "And he still beat me."

"He got awful mad at me that day," Serenity said, suddenly not so cheerful. She picked up the water pitcher and filled up Chris's goblet.

"That's the same year I, left," Chris said. Serenity sighed sadly.

"Same week too," she said, looking into the water pitcher and finding it empty. She got up and went over to her well. Chris watched her.

"How did you cope?" he asked.

"I didn't," Serenity said, pulling up the water bucket. "Nothing was the same without you. I traveled the world for many years. And eventually I landed here. It was fun for a while." She filled the pitcher with water. She brought it back to the table and filled up a second goblet. She sat back down.

"Pretty lucky you landed here I'd say," Chris said. Serenity smiled again.

"I'd say so," she said. She sipped her water.

"You like it here?" Chris asked.

"I do," Serenity replied. "Though, I do get homesick sometimes."

"Are you homesick now?" Chris asked. Serenity smiled wider.

"Nope," she said. "Now that you're here." She glanced at his injured hand. "I'll take those stitches out in about two weeks. It'll hurt for a while." she took another drink.

"I've had worse," Chris said. He then spotted the surprised look in Serenity's eyes over the rim of her goblet. "You remember the incident at Whale Spout Geyser when I broke my arm." Serenity relaxed and lowered the goblet.

"Yeah I remember that," she said, she had a guilty look on her face. Chris could guess what was on her mind.

"Don't blame yourself," he said. "It was a long time ago, and we were just kids then." Serenity smiled at him.

"The good old days," she said. She drained her goblet. Chris scanned his mind for a change in subject.

"Windwalker wants to unlock Mom and Dad'd titan wing soon," he said. "Tenor's too. We just have to come up with a challenge for them to overcome." He suddenly looked a bit nervous. "We may need your help with one of them." Serenity swallowed.

"How?" she asked. Chris could hear the fear in her voice.

"You can swim right?" he asked.

"I can do anything except fight," Serenity said. "Who will you do first?"

"Windwalker wants Tenor to go first," Chris said. "You'll be the one he saves." Serenity sighed.

"Will I be the hostage for all three of them?" she asked.

"No, just with Tenor," Chris said. Serenity took a deep breath, then grasped his Chris's hand in hers.

"I trust you Chris," she said. Chris squeezed her hand gently.

"It will also have you close incase someone gets hurt," he said. "We start first thing tomorrow."

"Ok," Serenity said. "When will they be back?" She glanced in the direction of the arena.

"Tenor and Windwalker will be up here shortly," Chris said. "Dad will be a little bit longer, I paralyzed his whole body."

They sat there for a while. Soon the dragons returned one by one. Re was just as proud of Chris as Aurora was. Tenor sat beside Serenity and she petted him. Chris informed Windwalker that Serenity agreed to help Tenor unlock his titan wing. He had to whisper in her ear so Tenor couldn't hear. Windwalker nodded, satisfied. She was already forming a plan in her head.

Later that evening. Serenity went inside the tree trunk and went to bed with the door open. Tenor took off for a hunt. Re and Aurora went to sleep as well. Chris and Windwalker stayed awake a bit longer.

"You sure about this?" Chris asked.

"I am," Windwalker said. "Serenity will be just fine, she'll just get wet."

"Just be careful with her," Chris said, he paused for a second. "I hope to marry her someday." Windwalker smiled at him.

"I know," she said. "You love her don't you."

"Very much," Chris said. "Even more so, now that she's back in my life."

"You should tell her," Windwalker said. Chris looked at her.

"Are you sure?" he asked. "What if she doesn't love me in return? I've been out of her life for way too long. She's probably gotten used to not having me around."

"She seemed very happy too see you again," Windwalker said. "And you two seem to still be very good friends. You say you love her, and I think she has a right to know that."

"What about you and Tenor?" Chris asked. "You like him."

"I do," Windwalker said. "He's very nice, and he's suffered an awful lot. But our relationship still new. I want to hang out with him a few more times before I decide if he's the right one. Being rejected by every female dragon, I don't know if that's had a negative lasting effect on him."

"So you're afraid of him," Chris said.

"A bit," Windwalker admitted. "But I'm sure it'll go away the more I get to know him. I don't want history to repeat itself."

"I understand that," Chris said. "But you will give him a chance."

"Yes," Windwalker said. "From what I've heard, It's about time someone ended the poor dragon's suffering." She yawned. "Let's go to bed, we can talk more about this tomorrow."

"Agreed," Chris said. They both laid down and went to sleep, Chris was pondering how best to tell Serenity his feelings for her.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Early the next day the Draconians gathered under the tree, Windwalker wanted to go over her plan to unlock Tenor's titan wing before he got back from his hunt. Serenity was very nervous, she didn't know the finer details. But she put on a brave face. Windwalker looked at Aurora.

"I wonder if we might use your magic as a safety net?" she asked.

"Absolutely," said Aurora. "I can use it to bind Tenor in ropes that can only be broken with his titan wing. I can also use magic to revive Serenity when Tenor pulls her out." Serenity began fidgeting, wringing her hands so hard she was in danger of breaking her fingers. Chris grasped her hand in his.

"Relax, we won't let you drown," he said. "It'll be scary, but we won't let you drown." Something in his voice helped her relax.

"He'll be here any minuet," said Aurora. "I can see a sea stack a few miles from here, it's perfect for your plan."

"Take me to it," said Windwalker. "The rest of you wait here for Tenor and bring him out when he arrives."

"Okay," said Re. The two females took off and Aurora headed north.

They were quiet for a while. Aurora headed for the sea stack she could see in her vision. About half way there Windwalker pulled up along side the queen.

"Are there any situations where you physically can't use magic?" she asked.

"There are a few," said Aurora. "I can't use magic if I'm under enough distress, or if I'm severely sick or injured. It blocks the flow of energy needed to cast spells. No, I cannot use my magic to unlock my titan wing. However, I'm wondering when I do unlock it, will effect my powers at all."

"Have you used your magic to help unlock another's titan wing?" Windwalker asked.

"I never tried it," said Aurora. "But I might be able to. Even I don't know the extent of my abilities. Here we are." She landed on a lone sea stack, well out of sight of Berk or any other island. Windwalker landed beside her.

"How will Re know where we are?" she asked.

"Well," Aurora said. "I can't use my usual signal because it's daytime, but I have other ways. He'll know."

"Can you see if Serenity will make it?" asked Windwalker. Aurora nodded.

"She will survive," she said. "However, I can't see who will save her. Since you plan to go through with this, I should warn you that Tenor will have about nine minuets to unlock his titan wing or she'll drown."

"I'll bare that in mind," said Windwalker.

"They're coming now," said Aurora. "I'll be back." She took off and flew out to meet them.

She came back with Tenor. Re hovered over the ocean, with Chris and Serenity on his back. They watched the dragons on the sea stack. Serenity had left her hat and jacked under the tree so she wouldn't loose them. She sat in front of Chris on the saddle, still trembling. Chris gripped her shoulder.

"You okay?" he asked. Serenity took a few deep breaths.

"I'll be fine, when this is all over," she said. At that moment Chris spotted Windwalker bellow flapping her wings at him.

"Do you trust me?" he asked Serenity.

"Yes, I trust you," Serenity replied. Chris sighed.

"Then I'm sorry for this," he said. Before she could ask any further questions, Chris jabbed two fingers hard between her shoulder blades. Serenity felt her whole body go dead, and she slipped sideways off the saddle. Tenor saw her splash into the water bellow. He took off to save her, but Aurora clicked her talons and he crashed to the ground bound in tight ropes. He struggled violently and tried to break the ropes. Windwalker looked down at him, trying to not look too smug.

"Come on Tenor," she said. "Just break the ropes and you can go get her. But you have to hurry, she'll drown in about eight minuets." Tenor roared in outrage. He tried harder to break the ropes, but they were too strong. Windwalker unlocked her titan wing, her black scales and spines glowed neon blue. She focused on Tenor, helping him find the strength to break the ropes. Tenor strained as hard as he could to break the ropes, summoning all his strength.

"Hurry Tenor, she's drowning!" exclaimed Windwalker. Tenor growled in frustration. He suddenly felt a surge of power shoot through his body. He put on one last effort and the ropes broke. Tenor jumped to his feet and dove into the water.

Serenity was sinking farther into the sea. She couldn't move her arms and legs to swim to the surface. The light was getting farther and farther away. Not to mention the water was bone chillingly cold, too cold for her dragon blood to keep her warm. She hoped someone came to get her before she drowned or froze to death.

Then just as the light was about to vanish she saw a series of bright red lights heading for her. She still couldn't move, or breathe. She closed her eyes just as something firm grabbed her arms. She felt herself being dragged deeper into the water.

Tenor burst out of the water, Serenity clutched in his talons. He flew back to the sea stack and set her carefully on the ground. Chris and Re had waited on the sea stack with Aurora and Windwalker. Chris jumped off Re's saddle and helped Tenor lay Serenity on her back. She was unconscious and her lips were turning blue.

"Oh, dear," said Windwalker. "I guess I didn't think about the temperature of the water." Then she saw Tenor. "Wow! Look at you Tenor." Everyone turned to admire his new form.

His body was now covered in glowing red lightening. It extended from the center of his back, and went to the tips of his wings, all down his tail, down all four legs, and up his neck. His back spines and nostrils were glowing with the same scarlet light. Tenor looked down at himself. He looked just as surprised as the rest of them. He turned to face the open sea and shot a plasma blast that was twice the size of his usual blast, and it was the same color red. It shot over the water, then exploded in a bright red light. He then looked back over at his rider.

"Is she still alive?" he asked, worried. Chris checked her pulse.

"Yes, she still alive," he said. Tenor approached Serenity and licked her face. The cold saliva on his tongue caused her to wake up. She coughed water out of her lungs. Then she started to shiver.

"Chris?" she said, her teeth chattering.

"Yes, I'm right here," Chris said. He laid a hand on hers.

"I can't move," Serenity said.

"It's okay," Chris said. He took off he coat and laid it on top of her, trying to keep her warm. Aurora approached them and waved her tail over Serenity like a wand. Serenity felt her body relax, and could move again. Chris helped her sit up, and put his coat around her shoulders.

"Let's get her inside, before she freezes," Tenor said. He could see icicles starting to form in her hair. Serenity got to her feet and leaned on Chris, still shivering.

"It's so cold," she said.

"I know," said Chris. "We'll get you warm again." Tenor knelt down and Chris helped Serenity onto the saddle. When she was secure, Chris placed a hand on her shoulder. Her clothes were already frozen solid.

"We'll be waiting for you," he said. He then got on Windwalker. They took off and headed back to Berk. Tenor spread his wings and took off as well. He flew slightly slower, so the cold air wouldn't make Serenity any colder. Serenity shivered and pulled Chris's coat tighter around her shoulders. It warmed her slightly, but not enough to stop shivering. Tenor could hear her teeth still chattering.

"Come on Serenity, don't get sick on me," he said, scared. "We're almost there." He picked up speed, and could see Berk on the horizon. Serenity clutched the saddle, but could hardly feel her fingers. Snow clouds rolled overhead and it began to snow. The temperature dropped rapidly and the wind picked up.

Soon Tenor landed beside the apple tree. He knelt down and Serenity got off. Small chunks of ice broke off her clothes as she moved. Tenor got to his feet and let Serenity lean on him. Chris went over to them.

"You want your coat back?" Serenity asked.

"Only when you're warm enough again," Chris said. "You need it more than I do. Come on, we should get you inside before you get sick." They went inside the house and sat on the bed. Chris helped Serenity remove her boots.

"Do you have an extra set of clothes?" Chris asked.

"I do," Serenity said. She was looking better, but her lips were still blue.

"You should change into it," Chris said. "And put the clothes you have on now over the fire to dry." Serenity nodded. "Come out when you're finished." Chris got to his feet and left the room. Serenity removed her frozen clothes, which was quite difficult since her fingers were shaking and her clothes were frozen stiff. But soon she got it all off and put on a navy blue winter dress that went down to her ankles. She put on a spare pare of boots, and put Chris's coat back on. She gathered up her frozen clothes and went out side.

Outside Aurora had already started a huge bonfire. A kettle had been placed over it. Everyone was gathered around it. Tenor still had his titan wing activated. He looked so different with it, like he'd become a completely different dragon. He looked at Serenity when she came out.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better," Serenity said. "But still cold. You going to show the people of Berk your new look?"

"Sure," Tenor said. "Once I knew you weren't going to get sick." he spread his wings and took off. Serenity sat in her chair. The fire helped her dry out, but she still felt cold.

"I'm real sorry Serenity, I forgot to account for the water temperature," Windwalker said.

"It's okay," said Serenity. "I survived."

"You feel sick at all?" Chris asked.

"Not yet," said Serenity. She leaned back in her chair, and pulled her medical bag closer to her.

"Who will you do next?" asked Re.

"I think we'll save you for last," Chris said to him. "We'll do Mom next."

"I don't want to do that again," said Serenity.

"No, you're done," said Windwalker. "I never do the same thing twice." Serenity sighed with relief. Chris handed her a mug of hot tea. She took it and drank it. It warmed her up.

"Thank you," she said. She could feel her fingers and toes again. Chris grasped her hand in his, her skin still felt far colder than it should. Then Aurora changed the subject.

"There's a huge school of sardines that's going to come into this area," she said. "We might not get a banquet like this for a while. There will be a lot of fish there."

"Sardines, tuna, maybe even a marlin," said Re.

"What about sharks?" asked Windwalker, who had never really had a banquet from the sea.

"Can't eat sharks," said Aurora. "Their skin is too rough, and they don't have much meat on them. But there will be birds, lots of birds."

"Have you ever had fish?" Re asked Windwalker.

"Just freshwater fish," Windwalker said. "Nothing from the sea."

"You can come with us if you want," said Aurora. "It's always good to try new foods." Windwalker considered.

"Will there be enough left to fish at night?" she asked. Aurora stared blankly ahead.

"Yes, there will be plenty," she said.

"I want to go with Tenor," Windwalker said. "It must have been awhile since he's had a fishing partner." Aurora nodded in understanding.

Tenor circled the plaza, then hovered over it. The rider's dragons were lounging in the middle of the plaza. They glanced up at Tenor, and were very surprised at his new colors. He swooped down and landed beside them.

"Wow Tenor what happened to you?" asked Hookfang. But Toothless answered before Tenor could.

"He unlocked his titan wing," Toothless said. "But yours looks way different than mine though."

"That's because I'm a freak and you're normal," Tenor said.

"I wish you'd stop seeing yourself like that," Stormfly said. The others murmured in agreement.

"You're no freak cousin," said Toothless. "You act like a normal dragon, you eat and sleep like a normal dragon, and you have a rider like the rest of us do." Tenor beamed. He threw his head back and shot a boosted, red plasma blast into the sky. It exploded and colored the blue sky with streaks of red.

"Impressive," said Meatlug. "The red lightening looks really good on you Tenor."

"The blue light looks good on Toothless," Tenor said. "Black goes with everything." At that moment the riders joined their dragons. They too looked surprised at Tenor's titan wing. It didn't take them long to figure out what it was.

"Wow Tenor," said Snotlout. "You look like you swallowed a lightning bolt." Tenor went into a fighting stance snarling. The back of his throat glowed as red as the rest of him. The light reflected off his shiny black teeth. He raised his wings like a gargoyle. He looked very scary.

"Whoa, he looks so threatening," said Tuffnut. He poked Tenor's neck. Tenor snapped his jaw, but not at anyone.

"How'd you do it?" asked Hiccup. "Toothless was trapped under an ice blast when he unlocked his."

"Windwalker has this Draco given gift where she can unlock another dragon's titan wing," Tenor said. "She put me in a stressful situation where I had to unlock my titan wing in order to overcome it."

"What was the situation you had to overcome?" asked Hiccup. Tenor relaxed his stance and suddenly looked close to tears.

"Serenity was thrown into the ocean," he said. "If I hadn't unlocked my titan wing, she would have drowned."

"Is she okay?" Toothless asked.

"Yes, she hasn't completely warmed up yet though," Tenor said, deactivating his titan wing.

"Will she get sick?" Hiccup asked.

"Probably," Tenor said. "But we'll take care of her."

"You think you'll be heading home soon?" asked Astrid. "I'm sure Chris would want to be home after all these years."

"Re and Aurora want to go out fishing, find a big school of fish," Tenor said. "When they get back, we'll probably be heading home."

"I wish you guys could live here," said Fishlegs.

"That would be nice, but we have our home," Tenor said. "And it's huge, and lovely. Berk is a nice place, but it's so small. There's hundreds of dragons living here, we don't want to make the place buckle. We're only up here so Serenity could make up for lost time, and to reunite with Chris."

"Did she missed us?" asked Snotlout. "I bet she did."

"Yeah she did," said Tenor. "However she's glad she missed all the fighting."

"I don't blame her," said Hiccup. "She should be glad she was so sick."

"No one likes be sick," Tenor said. "We nearly had a heart attack when we entered her room and couldn't rouse her. I never want to see her like that again."

"You should go back and check on her then," said Astrid. Tenor nodded, then took off.

He returned to the tree. The others looked up when he landed. Serenity was still in her chair, a cup of tea in her hands.

"How are you feeling?" Tenor asked her.

"Okay," Serenity said. "Still feel a bit cold." Tenor touched his muzzle to her cheek. She did still feel very cold, too cold. But at least she had dried out.

"You should get to bed," said Aurora. "You'll feel a lot warmer."

"When does that school of sardines come through?" Serenity asked.

"We're heading out day after tomorrow," said Aurora.

"And when you come back, we'll head home?" Tenor asked. Re and Aurora both nodded. Serenity got to her feet, having finished her tea and set the mug on the table. Chris got up as well. He held his hand out to her, and she took it. She was still shivering slightly. They went into the house, and the dragons stay out to watch the storms.

Inside the house, Serenity sat on the bed and Chris sat beside her. He gently put a hand on her forehead, under the cold skin she felt feverish.

"I don't want to get sick again," she said. "I just barley recovered from malaria."

"Malaria?" Chris said, shocked.

"Yeah," said Serenity. "I was bed ridden for weeks."

"Well, I don't think you'll be bed ridden for that long," Chris said. "24 hours at least." Serenity sighed and relaxed. She didn't feel sick yet, but figured she would feel it later. Chris then changed the subject.

"Serenity, are you happy?" he asked. Serenity considered the question.

"Not all the time," she said. "And I'm not as happy as was back in the day." She yawned. "Will Windwalker be unlocking Aurora's titan wing tomorrow?"

"Yeah, you don't have to watch if you don't want to," Chris said.

"I'll have my bag ready in case," Serenity said. She glanced at Chris's bandaged hand.

"You think you'll be warm enough?" Chris asked her. Serenity looked at the bed. It had wool sheets and a quilt on it, but that was all it had. Under normal circumstances she didn't need anything else, since her dragon's blood kept her warm.

"I don't know, I've never been this cold before," she said. "I've been in the North Sea before, but never in the middle of winter."

"Do you still feel cold?" Chris asked.

"Yes," Serenity said, hugging herself. She scooted closer to him. Chris put an arm around her. Being so close to him, it warmed her up. She wrapped her arms around him and scooted even closer.

"I'm glad your here," she said. "You make me happy." Chris smiled at her, and felt the love for her grow bigger within his heart. He felt her shivering still, but it wasn't as bad as when Tenor pulled her out of the water.

"You know, I bet you'd be a lot warmer if someone was in the bed with you," Chris said. "I read that's what some people do when they're cold."

"Yes, I read that survival book too," Serenity said. "And agree, but I'll leave my clothes on."

"Good idea," Chris said.

"I'll get my bag, there's medicine and water in it," said Serenity. "I may need it." She got up and went outside.

She came back and set her bag beside the bed. She took off the coat and hung it on the bed post. She then put her water canteen and a bottle of medicine on her night stand. She climbed into bed. Chris climbed in beside her, and wrapped his arms around her, using his body heat to keep her warm.

"This is the first time I've had someone else in this bed," Serenity said. "I've never felt close to anyone else."

"Were you lonely?" Chris asked.

"Only for a little while," Serenity said. "How about you. Where you lonely each night, in a nest full of dragons?"

"Yeah, but I fell asleep each night confident that I would see you again," Chris said. Serenity smiled and grasped his hand in both of hers.

"You'll have to go back to your dragon friends when Re and Aurora return from their fishing trip," she said, sadly. "We'll have to say good bye again." Chris carefully ran a finger along the thin scar on her cheek.

"I would come back to you," Chris said. "I give you my word."

"That's what you said last time," Serenity said.

"And I kept my word," Chris pointed out. "I'm here aren't I?"

"Yes," said Serenity. "But what if you hit another storm, one that's bigger?"

"Then we'll set down to wait it out," Chris said. "Don't you worry, history won't repeat itself. I will come back to you, I always do." Serenity finally relaxed.

"If Shark's in the area, I'll ask her to swim below you," she said.

"She doesn't do favors for humans," Chris said.

"But she's not heartless," Serenity said. "It can't hurt to try."

"I suppose," Chris said. "Are you warm enough?" Serenity wormed closer to him.

"Yes, thank you," Serenity said. She yawned. They soon both fell asleep.

Outside the dragons lounged around under the tree. Tenor was laying on a low branch, munching apples. Windwlker looked up at him. He looked so dark against the golden leaves, and his eyes stood out vividly against his dark dark scales. Tenor looked down at her.

"Have you had one of these yet?" he asked.

"No," said Windwalker. Tenor pulled a large apple from its branch and handed it down to her. She took it and ate it. It was very sweet.

"Thank you," she said.

"Sure," Tenor said. He got to his feet and stretched. He was about to jump down when he stepped on a loose branch. It broke and he lost his footing. He fell to the ground hard, landing on his back. Windwalker hurried to his side.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Just a bit winded," Tenor said. Then he looked at Windwalker, looking surprised.

"What?" she said confused.

"You're not laughing," Tenor said. "Usually when I fall and/or get hurt someone laughs at me. You're one of the very very few who hasn't"

"I don't find it funny," Windwalker said. "Can you get up, or should I call Serenity out here?"

"She's sleeping," Tenor said. He rolled over so his feet here under him. Windwalker stood back and he sat up.

"Did she ever laugh at you when you fell down?" Windwalker asked.

"No, no human has oddly enough," Tenor said. He got to his feet and shook himself. He looked out at the moon and stars. He smacked his lips.

"Still hungry?" Windwalker asked.

"Yeah," Tenor said. "Apples only satisfy my sweet tooth, but it's no substitute for real meat." Windwalker turned to Re and Aurora.

"What is there to eat around here besides fish?" she asked.

"Boars," said Re. "Maybe a stray chicken if your lucky. Wild dragons are always on the look out for farm animals that get loose."

"But there's also sea gulls, geese, ducks, and deer," said Aurora. "But that's if you're really lucky. Fish and boars are the most common."

"I'm going to go find me a few boars," Tenor said. "I'll be back in the morning." He looked at Windwalker. "You can come if you want."

"Sure," Windwalker said. "Back home, no one hunted alone." Tenor smiled warmly. The two nightly dragons spread their wings and took off. Re and Aurora went to sleep shortly afterwards.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Early the next morning Chris woke up. Serenity was still in his arms, fast asleep. She no longer felt cold. Her dragon's blood had returned her temperature to normal. Her cheeks were rosy pink. Chris carefully pulled a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. He wished they could lay like that for eternity. But eventually Serenity woke up. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Good morning," she yawned.

"How do you feel?" Chris asked.

"Bit thirsty," said Serenity. "But I don't feel cold anymore, or feverish."

"Good," Chris said, beaming. "Well, we have a lot to do today."

"Windwalker plans to unlock Aurora's titan wing," said Serenity, she sounded worried.

"She's letting Mom use her magic as a safety net again," Chris said. "So, there's little chance of her getting hurt." Serenity sighed and relaxed a bit.

They got out of bed and went outside. The dragons were awake already. Tenor beamed when he saw his rider and nuzzled her cheek. Serenity hugged him.

"You feeling better?" Tenor asked.

"Yes, thanks for not letting me drown," Serenity said. Tenor purred. "Chris was nice enough to keep me warm, so I didn't get a chill." Tenor gave a knowing smile.

"You two always did have each other's back," he said. Serenity looked over at Aurora. She was looking confident.

"You all right ma'am?" Serenity said.

"Yes, Father has assured me that nothing bad will happen," Aurora said.

"The Berkians want to watch this time," Re said. "After seeing Tenor with his tian wing unlocked."

"I imagine they'll get quite a show," Chris said, sitting beside the fire.

"They haven't seen a dragon unlock their titan wing since Toothless took on the Bewilderbeast," Re said. Unlike Aurora, he looked very nervous. He was fidgeting on the spot and his tail kept twitching.

"Have you foreseen the task you'll have to overcome?" Windwalker asked Aurora.

"No," said Aurora. "Not in great detail at least. All I can see is that I will be up very high, and I can see Re pacing nervously." Re didn't say anything.

"Well we should get going," said Windwalker. "The sooner the better."

"Why're you in such a hurry to unlock everyone's titan wing?" Serenity asked.

"It will help them in their next battle," Windwalker explained. "With their titan wing activated they will be stronger, and it will make it easier to overcome any threat to their family, friends, or their country." She then turned to Aurora. "You should leave your armor here, you won't need it." Aurora stared blankly ahead, then she clicked her talons and her amor vanished. Her blue scales glittered like gems in the morning light.

"Chris and Serenity should come help us set up," Windwalker said. "Re and Tenor, you two can go gather the Berkians."

"All right," Re said, hesitantly. Chris mounted Windwalker and Serenity mounted Aurora bareback. They took off and headed for the tall mountain peak that towered over the island.

They landed on a large ledge near the very top. It was plenty big enough for several dragons to roost on. Waiting for them were seven huge boulders in various shapes. Chains were wrapped around each one. Next to the boulders was a large leather harness with more chains attached to it.

"The Gronkles here have been so helpful with setting this up," said Windwalker.

"They'll do anything for their fellow dragons," said Serenity. "And they won't even ask any questions." She and Chris put the harness on Aurora, making sure it wasn't too tight. By the time they were finished Re, Tenor, and the Berkians all landed on the ledge.

"Wow, we're really high up," said Tuffnut, looking over the edge. "Far higher than I've ever been." He looked so excited.

"So how does this work exactly?" asked Hiccup.

"Every dragon has a power inside them," Aurora explained. "And some dragons have the ability to summon that power to make themselves faster, or stronger, or make their fire hotter. It can change their colors or physical form. Much like how other reptiles can change their colors or make themselves look bigger. Toothless was able to summon that power to break out of the ice, and Tenor was able to summon it to break his bonds."

"You think you can do it without your magic?" asked Stormfly.

"She'll have to," said Windwalker. "All dragons before her have done it. Now, enough talking. Lets get to work. Chris are you ready?" Chris attached the chains from the harness to all seven boulders, then picked up a large stick from behind one of the boulders. Re snorted and tossed his head nervously. Serenity stood beside him and stroked his neck. Chris used the stick to tip the first boulder over the edge. The chain went taught and Aurora felt herself being pulled towards the edge. She dug her claws into the stone and pulled against the weight of the boulder. Windwalker unlocked her titan wing, her scales glowed bright blue. She nodded at Chris who shoved another boulder off the cliff. Aurora was jerked backwards when the rope went taught. She could feel herself sliding towards the edge after the boulders. Her hind claws lost their grip a bit. She dug her talons deeper into the stone.

"Come on your majesty, from what I've heard about you this should be easy," Windwalker said. Chris pushed another boulder over. Aurora threw her shoulders into the harness and slowly pulled herself back onto the ledge. Chris continued to push the boulders over the cliff's edge. Aurora was being pulled closer to the edge. She clenched her teeth and pulled as hard as she could, but gravity was winning.

Soon there was only two boulders left. Aurora's back talons were in danger of sliding off. Re was getting more and more anxious. Serenity kept stroking his neck. She could feel his whole body go tense. Windwalker nodded at Chris, and he pushed another boulder over. Aurora's hind talons lost their grip and she was now hanging on by her front talons. She flapped her wings and used her back talons to dig into the rock. She summoned all her raw strength. She pushed herself up with her legs and wings. She was clenching her teeth so hard she could feel her jaws getting sore. She inched her way back onto the ledge. She could feel a change in her body getting noticeably bigger, and it had nothing to do with her magic. Aurora snarled in frustration. She could feel every muscle in her body getting sore. But just as she got her hind legs back onto the ledge, Chris pushed the last boulder over. Aurora could fight no more, and the boulder tugged her right off the ledge. Re roared loudly and spread his wings to fly after her, but Windwalker blocked him.

"Don't, she's fine Re," she said. Serenity hugged Re's head, which also kept him from taking off. They all waited to hear the loud thud of Aurora hitting the rocks below, but they never heard it.

Then a few minuets later, Aurora soared over the ledge with all seven boulders still hanging from her harness. The air was filled with the sound of her powerful wingbeats. She set the boulders back on the ledge, then perched on top of them. She stood up, her wings still open. The crowd all stared at her. The queen looked different.

Her turquoise underbelly was now the same silvery grey as her eyes. The horizontal ridges on her belly had elongated into upside down V's, stretching towards the middle of her back. It ran from her chest, to her tail. The whip end of her tail had become longer, and turned the same shade of silvery gray. Her horns, spines and wings membranes were also the same color. On her face silver obtuse triangles had appeared under each eye, and a silver arch shape had appeared on her forehead.

She stood at her full height and admired her titan wing, extending each wing. Then she threw back her head and shot a jet of silver flames into the air. She then jumped off the boulders, and held herself tall. Chris and Serenity moved forward to remove her harness. Serenity noticed that Aurora's scales had become as hard as diamond, harder and stronger than her armor. Once the harness was off Aurora went over to Re, who had finally relaxed.

"Are you all right?" Re asked.

"Bit sore, but I'm just fine," Aurora assured him, nuzzling his neck. "You'll be next I imagine." Re took a deep breath, he didn't look afraid yet.

"I guess Steal was right, silver does look good on you," he said.

"Indeed," Aurora said. They were approached by the rest of the group.

"That was incredible your majesty," said Hookfang.

"Weren't you scared at all?" asked Astrid.

"Perhaps a little bit," said Aurora. "But as a queen I must put on a brave face." She held her head high, and put a paw over her chest. She noticed that her talons had become bigger. She turned to one of the boulders, and slashed at it. Her sharp talons left gashes in the rock, that were a good three inches deep. She then turned to the chain wrapped around the boulder. She swung her tail around and gave the chain a powerful whiplash, and the chain fell off the boulder.

"Very impressive your majesty," said Meatlug. "You think your magic is stronger?"

"I would suspect so," said Aurora. She fired her silvery flames at the boulder. It melted into hot, liquefied metal.

"Wow, that's awesome," said Ruffnut.

"That's as hot as Stormfly's fire," said Astrid. Aurora folded her wings.

"Thank you Windwalker," she said.

"You're welcome ma'am," said Windwalker.

"I should be heading back, I've got work to do," said Hiccup.

"I'll help you," Re said.

"I'm going to go experiment with this," Aurora said, admiring her talons. So the riders mounted their dragons and took off. When Aurora's new scales hit the sunlight, they shone like pieces of silver. She noticed the other dragons looking at her out of the corner of their eye. She didn't mind, she was used to being stared at.

When they reached the village Aurora separated from the others and headed above the cloud line. When she was out of sight, she hovered hovered in midair. Up here she could do magic without being seen. She did a few small spells at first, and with her titan wing they were easer and more powerful. She moved onto harder ones, like making the clouds solid enough to walk on. She landed on one and it was like landing on a bed of snow, that wasn't cold. She smiled, proud of herself. She then tried a spell she hadn't used since she was a dragonet. She pulled the clouds in around her, and spun them into a small hurricane. The eye of which was just big enough for her to fly through. She scanned her brain for a location, and settled for Draconia. She was nervous about doing this trick. The last time she tried it she's almost lost her wings, and it drained her of so much energy she was not able to get back and Draco had to rescue her. She looked into the eye of the mini hurricane, and saw her castle clear as the moon. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped through the portal. It felt like flying through water without the splash. She opened her eyes and saw the castle and lagoon bellow her. She looked behind her and saw that the portal had closed as soon as she'd gone through. She smiled and sighed with relief. She landed on one of the towers. She summoned more clouds and formed another portal to get back to Berk. She picked a spot where she wouldn't be seen. She dove back through and found herself in the Cove. She landed and got a drink from the pond. She then sat on her haunches, and looked down at the water. She decided to do one last spell before deactivating her titan wing. She dipped a talon into the water. It glowed for a second then showed something else besides the trees and sky above.

Aurora could now see the colossal palace where Draco lived. It looked like a giant cathedral made entirely of glass and crystal, and five hundred times bigger than any cathedral on Earth, past, present, or future. It sat in the middle of a vast ocean. Sunlight reflected off both the water and the cathedral, making the whole area look as though it were made of diamonds. She cleared the spell, and the water returned to normal. She deactivated her titan wing, and headed back to the village.

Back at the village Hiccup and Toothless were doing their jobs. Re assisted while he waited for Aurora to return.

"So you're leaving soon?" Hiccup said, as he and Re walked through the plaza.

"Day after tomorrow," Re said.

"Things will get more stressful when you're gone," Hiccup said. Re halted.

"I may have a solution to that problem too," he said, looking at something over Hiccup's shoulder. Hiccup followed his gaze and spotted Astrid grooming Stormfly. Hiccup was quick to figure out what Re was getting at.

"I don't know if I'm ready for that," he said. Re snorted and sat on his haunches.

"Well you'll never be ready if you keep stalling," Re said. "You two have worked very well together. She's always had your back, and you've always had hers."

"Yeah I know what you're going to say next," Hiccup said. "I've faced many scary things in the past, why should I be afraid to talk to a girl." Re smirked.

"Actually, I was going to say why be afraid to talk to a girl you talk to everyday?" he said. "I wouldn't be half the king I am today if it weren't for Aurora. And if Stoic were here, I bet he'd say the same thing about Valka." Hiccup sighed in defeat.

"All right, I'll talk to Astrid," he said. "Tomorrow." Re's eyes narrowed. Hiccup turned to leave.

"Oh, no you don't," Re said. He whipped his tail around and wrapped it around Hiccup's legs. He tripped and fell face down into the mud. Re got to his feet and planed a front paw on Hiccup's back, holding him down.

"How about you go talk to her now?" Re suggested.

"Now?" Hiccup said, his voice muffled.

"What's wrong with now?" Re asked. "The sooner the better."

"What's wrong with tomorrow?" Hiccup asked.

"Because by the time tomorrow comes, you'll have convinced yourself to wait another day," Re explained. "I've seen humans do it before. If you can do it tomorrow, you can do it today. And if you do it today, it has a better chance of getting done." Hiccup heaved another sigh.

"Okay, if you let me up I'll go talk to Astrid," he said.

"You promise?" Re asked.

"Yes, I promise," Hiccup said. Re got off Hiccup and he sat up. He scraped the mud off his face. Re clamped his teeth on Hiccup's collar and pulled him to his feet.

"But what will I say to her?" he asked, brushing himself off.

"You'll think of something," Re said. He then looked over towards Astrid and Stormfly. "Hey Astrid, can you come over here a minuet!" Curious, Astrid stopped what she was doing and came over. Stormfly followed her.

"Yes Re?" asked Astrid.

"Hiccup has something to ask you," Re said. He turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Hiccup asked.

"I'm going to see where Aurora is," Re said. "I'll be back." He spread his wings and took off. He turned and hovered.

"Why don't you see if Toothless needs help with anything," he said to Stormfly. The Nadder squawked in agreement, and took off as well. When the two dragons were gone, Hiccup turned to Astrid.

"So what is it you want to ask me?" Astrid asked.

"Well, Re's been helping me with chiefing lately," Hiccup said.

"Yes, I've seen that," said Astrid. "He seems be a very good coach."

"He is," Hiccup agreed. "But he will be going back to Draconia very soon, and he won't be able to coach me much longer. I was hoping you would help me around the village." Astrid beamed.

"I would gladly help out in any way I can," she said.

"Re says we work very well together," Hiccup said.

"What do you think?" asked Astrid.

"I think Re's right, we do work very well together," Hiccup said.

"Re has been a good ally all these years," said Astrid. "Him and his comrades." She glanced over to where Re was conversing with Toothless and Cloudjumper, in Dragontongue.

"He fought alongside my parents and carried them to safety during the Battle of the Bewilderbeast, even though his mouth had been stabbed," Hiccup said. "And he was willing to fly me back to Berk, all with a bleeding mouth."

"He has the strength of a true warrior," said Astrid.

"I couldn't imagine a world without him," Hiccup said. They walked off, still talking.

Re watched them, feeling proud of himself. Toothless and Cloudjumper followed his gaze.

"So, why'd you decide to help Hiccup?" Toothless asked.

"Because," Re sighed. "I want to."

"You think the two of them will be mates?" Cloudjumber asked gesturing to Hiccup and Astrid.

"Oh, yeah," Re said. Just then Aurora landed beside them.

"Hello," she said happily.

"How'd your experiments go?" Re asked.

"Wonderfully," Aurora said. "My titan wing does effect my magic."

"You look prettier without your armor on ma'am," said Cloudjumper.

"Thank you," said Aurora. "But I must wear armor if I am to stay that way. And I should go put it back on now. Excuse me." She walked off.

She went back up to the Apple Tree. She found Tenor and Windwalker dozing off, their riders doing the same. However they sat up when Aurora landed beside them.

"Mom, you're back," Chris said, getting to his feet.

"I didn't mean to wake you," Aurora said.

"You didn't wake us," Windwalker said. "We weren't really sleeping." Aurora made a scooping motion with her paw, and her armor appeared and attached itself to her body.

"Ahh, that's better," she said.

"Is your armor held together be magic?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," said Aurora. "But don't tell them that." She gestured with her head towards the village. "Everyone else's armor is held together by regular means. Now about this sardine school. Why don't you two nightly dragons head out tonight. You'll be able to get the fish before anyone else does."

"How do we know other predators haven't gotten it already?" Tenor asked.

"I've been watching it," Aurora said. "No one else has touched it yet. But it is heading for a very big ambush, and by the time tomorrow night rolls in there won't be much fish left."

"Very well," said Windwalker. "We'll head out this evening. Which direction do we fly in?" Aurora considered.

"Northwest," she said after a few minuets. "About twenty miles."

"I can find it," Tenor said. "We'll head out when the stars come out, so I can get my bearings."

"How're you going to find northwest without a compass?" Windwalker asked.

"Tenor is a master at navigating with the stars," Serenity said. "He's never gotten lost." Tenor purred.

"I'll show you," he said.

So when the stars came out Tenor and Windwalker took off. Windwalker let Tenor be in the lead.

"So how can you tell which way's north?" she asked. Tenor slowed down so they were flying side by side.

"That star there," Tenor pointed to a tiny star, surrounded by slightly larger ones. "That's Polaris, The North Star. If it's directly in front of you you're heading north, if it's directly on your right you're heading west, if it's on your left you're going east, and if it's behind you you're heading south."

"Can you find your way during the day too?" Windwalker asked.

"Sure," said Tenor. "The sun is a star too. Right now, the North Star is only slightly on our right so we're heading northwest." Windwalker looked up at the sky again. She could no longer tell were the North Star was.

"How do you find the North Star?" she asked. Tenor hovered in the air, and she followed suit.

"You see those stars that form the shape of a ladle?" he asked, pointing to the stars again. Windwalker followed his gaze. After looking at the stars for a second she saw what he was referring to. A group of seven stars formed the shape of a ladle.

"Yes, I see it," she said.

"That's the Big Dipper," Tenor said. "The star that would be the tip of the bowel points to the North Star. It's two stars up. It a part of the Little Dipper's handle. Draco's tail is right between the two. Perhaps sometime I can show you my star charts." Then he grew sad again. "Unfortunately being a stargazer was yet another thing I was bullied for." He started moving again.

"There's no other stargazers in Draconia?" Windwalker asked.

"No," Tenor said. "Do you have any stargazers in your squadron?"

"No, we don't have any star charts," Windwalker said. "We found our way with Chris's maps and compass."

"I taught him a few of my navigation skills," Tenor said. "I've turned my room in the castle into a planetarium and observatory."

"Fascinating," said Windwalker. "Well we should pick up the pace, I'm getting hungry." Tenor put on a burst of speed, and she followed. They flew low over the water so they could spot the fish below.

Soon they spotted the school of sardines. It looked like an oil spill the size of a Submaripper. There were no other predators in sight. The two nightly dragons dove right in and grabbed as many fish as they could. Tenor spotted a small island to the west, but paid it no mind. They dove in and out of the water grabbing fish, tossing them to each other. They also caught any other fish that happened to be swimming by.

After fishing for an hour, they landed on a nearby sea stack. There were still many fish left. But they had had their fill. Windwalker sat on her haunches.

"That was lovely," she said, smacking her lips. "It's a shame we have to travel so far to find a feast of this sort."

"It is," Tenor agreed. "But worth it." Windwalker scooted closer to him. Tenor pinned his ears back bashfully.

"I don't see anything wrong with you being a stargazer," Windwalker said. Tenor smiled.

"Thanks," he said softly. Windwalker then entwined her tail around his. Tenor jumped a bit, and a shiver ran down his spin that had nothing to do with the chilly breeze.

"You okay?" Windwalker asked, looking down at his talons which were tense.

"I'm fine," Tenor said. "I'm still getting used to all this." He relaxed.

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable," Windwalker said, pulling her tail back.

"You're not making me uncomfortable," Tenor said. "I'm still getting used to it, but that doesn't mean I don't like it."

"You're sure?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Tenor said. And he entwined his tail back around hers. She smiled, and he smiled back. Then Windwalker leaned forward and nuzzled his cheek. Tenor could feel her warm breath on his scales. He lowered his head absentmindedly. He touched his wing to hers.

"You're pretty good for a first timer," Windwalker said.

"Well, I've watched Re and Aurora all my life," Tenor said. "I may hide all the time, but I still know what goes one around me." Windwalker smiled wider, then licked Tenor's face. He purred, and another shiver ran down his spine. His heart started leaping like the sardine below. Windwalker took a step back.

"Well, can you find our way back?" Windwalker asked.

"How about you give it a shot this time," Tenor suggested. "You know how to find the North Star now."

"I don't know which direction to go," Windwalker said.

"Well, we came northwest to get here," Tenor said. "So to get back we'd have to go southeast." Windwalker looked up at the North Star, twinkling faintly. She turned so her left tail fin was facing it. She took off and Tenor followed her, they flew next to each other. Windwalker noticed the blissful smiled on Tenor's face. She was pretty sure by now that he'd make a good partner. She figured with his navigation skills, they would never get into the cliched argument of one wanting to follow a map and the other wanting to ask directions.

"Hey Tenor," she said. Tenor looked at her. "Have you given up on finding a mate entirely?"

"Well, no," Tenor said. "But I have slowed down the search a great deal."

"It would be very sad if every one else got a mate and you didn't," Windwalker said.

"Yeah well, life isn't fair," Tenor said.

"It could be," Windwalker said.

"What are you suggesting?" Tenor asked.

"It seems our riders are destined to be mates," Windwalker said. "Maybe we are too." Tenor looked surprised.

"But you'll be going back to your squadron soon," he said. "And I'll have to go back to Draconia."

"Right," Windwalker said. "But you will visit us when we find a new home won't you?" Tenor smiled.

"Sure I will," he said. "You still have Re's titan wing to unlock."

"We'll defiantly see more of each other then," Windwalker said. Tenor nodded. Then he thrust his wings back and picked up speed. Windwalker followed suit, and they sped back to Berk.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The sun was starting to show itself as Tenor and Windwalker reached Berk. They landed beside the apple tree. Re and Aurora were sound asleep, Re's wing over Aurora. Windwalker looked down at Re.

"Chris told me about how much he looked up to Re," Windwalker said. "He told me during the first year how he missed having his father by his side, teaching him everything he knows."

"Re missed him too," Tenor said. "He's lived with guilt all these years."

"It wasn't his fault Chris was lost to the sea," Windwalker said.

"Re says it's his job to take the blame," Tenor said. "Both as a king, and as his father."

"Mark of a good ruler," Windwalker said. "It's one of the hardest parts of the job."

"Indeed," Tenor said. "According to all the older dragons, out of all the kings Draconia's had, Re's one of the finest."

"What about his parents?" Windwalker asked.

"Jack and Idriss, they were often described as a steel poles," Tenor said. "Unable or willing to bend. And not to mention how superstitious they were. They had a habit of seeing bad luck in anything out of the ordinary, including myself."

"They were superstitious of you?" Windwalker asked.

"Especially me," Tenor said. "They never gave me justice for all the bullying a endured. If it weren't for Re, and Aurora, I would have turned into a ruthless killer and I would not be standing here today."

"Re was a brother to you," Windwalker said, it wasn't a question. "Chris calls you his uncle."

"Yes," said Tenor. He jumped onto a low tree branch and laid down on it. "Well, I had a good time out there."

"I did too," Windwalker said. She yawned and laid down on the dragonnip. Tenor watched her fall asleep. When she was snoring slightly Tenor looked out at the rising sun. Then, with a sigh, he jumped down from the branch and laid beside Windwalker. He fell asleep with his tail entwined around hers, and his wing pressed against hers.

Re and Aurora woke at the crack of dawn. They ate a quick breakfast of apples, then took off. Aurora lead the way to the fish. They flew at high speed. They sang as flew, but didn't talk much. Below in the water, other predatory fish and animals were heading in the same direction as them.

Soon they spotted the same school of sardines Tenor and Windwalker had feasted on the night before. Aurora used her magic to make a large sea stack. Then they dove in and out of the water grabbing fish by the mouthful. More predators showed up: Sharks, tuna, killer whales, pilot whales, a few different dragon species, and millions of birds. In addition to the sardines Re and Aurora snagged a few tuna and tossed them onto the sea stack.

It took all day to get through all the fish. When the sun was starting to go down again, Re and Aurora landed on the sea stack and ate all five tuna that they'd caught. When they were finished, they stretched out on the sea stack.

"That was so good," Re said.

"Yeah, and it was nice to have you all to myself for once," Aurora chuckled.

"Oh," Re said, smirking. "So you brought up the sardines not because you were hungry but you wanted to get me away from the crowds." Aurora wormed closer to him, and nibbled his neck.

"You deserve a break," she said. "I don't want you working yourself to death."

"That would take a year of working nonstop," Re said. "But I appreciate your concern." He entwined his tail around hers.

"I also brought up the sardines to give Tenor and Windwalker a chance to spend some time together," Aurora said. "Their future together has started to take shape."

"Those friends of hers will need a new home," Re said.

"Mt. Vulcan is still uninhabited," Aurora said. "It'll be nice and safe for them. Tenor and Serenity will not have to put their new relationships on hold for so long."

"A swell idea," Re said. "They don't even have to see me as their king if they don't want to."

"They'll love you fine," Aurora said. "You're giving them a home, it's what they want."

"I'll mention it to Windwalker before she and Chris head back," Re said. Aurora sighed and nuzzled Re's neck.

"I'm so glad we have you Re," she purred. "When we have hatchlings, I hope they end up as strong as you."

"Being as pretty as you wouldn't hurt either," Re said. Aurora chuckled.

"How about we take a quick spin around that island then head back to Berk," Aurora said.

"Alright," Re agreed. "The sun's set and the stars are out." The two dragons got to their feet. They spread their wings and took off.

They flew towards the island. It was a big island, cluttered with trees and cliffs. Re lead the way as they flew low over the island. Things were quiet at first. But then Aurora spotted something shining out of the corner of her eye. Before she turned to see what it was, there was a loud swoosh and she felt something stab her paw. She roared in pain. She looked to see what had hit her. It was an arrow, and from the feel of it, there was dragonroot on it. More arrows were fired. One hit her wing, and one hit her front paw. The world began to spin before her eyes. She found it harder to stay in the air, her nervous system was starting to shut down. She couldn't hear anything except a ringing in her ears. Her vision went fuzzy.

Re spun round when he heard Aurora cry out. He saw her heading rapidly for the ground. Acting quickly, he dove after her. He grabbed her tail in his talons, and snapped his wings open in attempt to slow their decent. But gravity proved too strong, and they hit the ground hard. Re got to his feet and shook the dirt off his scales. Then he looked over at Aurora. She was still down and writhing in pain. Re rushed over to her.

"Aurora, are you okay?" he asked. Aurora didn't answer, as she was in too much pain. Re looked at the three arrows sticking out of her hyde. Blood stained her blue scales and her armor. Re pulled them out, Aurora roared in pain every time. It seemed to help her relax a touch, but she was still breathing heavily. Re picked up on of the arrows and sniffed it. The strong sent of dragonroot hit his nostrils. Re growled and threw the arrow away. At that moment he heard humans running towards them, no doubt the ones who had fired the arrows. Re spun round to face them.

There were at least eighty humans, all carrying fire and weapons. They charged towards the two dragons. Re roared and pounced on them. At once, they slashed they weapons at Re. But his armor was too strong. Re fought back, with his claws and tail. He managed to kill many enemies, but more took their place. One man carried a huge hammer. Re was about to jump on him, but the man swung the hammer and it collided with Re's head stunning him. He stumbled and fell. The humans looped ropes around him, and used their weapons to cut off his armor. Re struggled and snapped at anything within his reach. He managed to get back to his feet. More enemies came and Re was badly outnumbered. Re fought them, but they fired more arrows at him. Pain shot though his body and the humans managed to pull him down again, and latched him to a cart. Re caught a glimpse of Aurora still not getting up. Many of the humans were running towards her with their spears raise. Outraged Re snarled and struggled against his bonds. He summoned all his strength. He felt power growing inside him. He suddenly found the strength to break his bonds. He stood up on the cart and glared down at all his foes, who looked back up at him dumbstruck.

Re looked different. His underbelly was now a vivid golden yellow. The horizontal ridges on his belly had elongated into upside down V's, stretching towards the middle of his back. It ran from his chest, to his tail. The whip end of his tail had become longer, and turned the same shade of golden yellow. His horns, spines and wings membranes were also the same color. On his face yellow obtuse triangles had appeared under each eye, and a yellow arch shape had appeared on his forehead.

Re had an angry, wild look in his eyes. He roared and shot fire at the enemies. His fire was the same yellow color as his new scales, and twice the temperature. The human screamed as the fire turned them into nothing. He lifted off the ground and hovered over the humans. He shot more fire at them, lighting up the place. Humans fired their weapons, but the dragonroot arrows only bounced off his scales. Re was getting the upper hand, and roasted more humans.

But then a huge ballista spear sailed through the air and pierced his flank. Re howled but shot more fire. More spears were fired. Most of them missed, but the tip of one sliced open Re's forehead. He suddenly felt woozy. The humans fired a steel net and it snapped around Re, slamming him to the ground. The enemy moved in. They bashed, cut, and stabbed any part of Re they could reach. The dragon roared and shot more fire. Ignoring the agonizing pain he broke the net and got to his feet. He saw that there weren't many humans left. He stood at his full height.

Aurora woke up, her body seething with pain from the dragonroot. She saw her beloved mate fighting the last of the humans. Silhouetted against the burning fires. Aurora tried to get to her feet to help him, but her body wouldn't obey her. The dragonroot had made her whole body go limp. She glanced up in time to see Re in the air, firing at the last few humans. He got most of them, but missed one. That human carried a big ax. When he was out of the way of the fire, he threw the ax at Re. The weapon hit Re right in the head stunning him again, and making the gash in is forehead burn. Re turned around and shot fire at the last human, killing him instantly.

With the all foes defeated Re stumbled onto the ground. Aurora watched him hobble over to her, blood streaming down his body and head. He was panting, unable to catch his breath. He was about half way to Aurora. He tired to make it all the way, but he collapsed and didn't get up again. Scared, Aurora willed her body to move. She crawled over to her mate, tears leaking out of her eyes. Re did not move. His eyes were closed, and his face was locked into a look of pure agony.

"Re!" Aurora shouted. "Wake up, please wake up." No answer, he just lay there in a pool of his own blood. She tried to use her magic to heal him, but with fear mixed with the dragonroot, she could not find the energy needed for such magic. She burst into tears and lay beside Re, resting her head on his neck. Then she let out a loud, anguished roar and the sky exploded into the aurora borealis. Except instead of being many different colors, these lights were a vibrant red. It looked as though the night sky had been slashed at with giant claws, leaving trails of blood across the stars and moon.

The red lights could be seen all over the archipelago. On Berk everyone looked up at them. The remaining Draconians rushed down to the plaza, where Hiccup and Toothless were coming out of their house.

"What's going on?" Hiccup asked Tenor.

"It's Draco," Tenor said, bending the truth a bit. "Something must have happened to Re and Aurora." Upon hearing this, both Hiccup and Chris acted immediately. They jumped onto their dragons and took off. Tenor turned to Serenity.

"You should come too," he said. "There may be injuries." Serenity just nodded and mounted him, making sure she had all her medical equipment. They took off and quickly caught up to the two Night Furies. They followed the red lights, flying at supersonic speeds.

They soon found where the red lights were pointing. They circled the island calling for Re and Aurora. Serenity spotted the fires bellow.

"Down there," she said pointing. They followed her gaze and saw Re and Aurora bellow. Then Toothless started roaring in alarm. They turned to see a fireball heading for them. Windwalker shot a plasma blast at it, shattering it. They saw an armada of ships heading for the island. More fireballs were launched. The dragons dodged them.

"We'll deal with this, Serenity you should go see what's wrong," Chris said. Serenity nodded. She clicked the reins and Tenor dove down to his comrades. He landed and Serenity dismounted. They found Aurora draped over Re's body, sobbing quietly.

"Aurora," Tenor said, concerned. Aurora looked up at them. A look of relief crossed her face and she heaved herself to her feet.

"Thank goodness you're here," she sobbed. "Re's hurt bad." Serenity took her medical bag off Tenor's saddle and knelt beside Re. She opened her bag and pulled out her silver stethoscope. She listened to Re's heartbeat, it was week and his breathing was labored. She put the stethoscope away and examined the wound in Re's forehead. It was still bleeding. She reached into her bag again and pulled out needle, threat, Night Fury saliva, and bandages.

"You going to patch him up here?" Tenor asked.

"I need to stop this bleeding or he's going to die," Serenity said.

"He's still alive?" Aurora asked. Serenity nodded as she threaded the needle.

"Not by much though," she said. She quickly got to work and sewed up the wound. Aurora buried her face in Tenor's scales. Trying not to look too uncomfortable, Tenor nuzzled her and draped a wing around her.

Serenity soon started wrapping Re's head up in bandages. She was about done when Hiccup and Chris returned, having successfully driven off the armada. They did mounted and went to stand next to Tenor.

"What happened?" Chris asked, staring at Re. Aurora wiped the tears from her eyes.

"We, we were flying around this island," she said. "I was hit by dragonroot arrows and it made me crash. Re caught me though. On the ground the humans found us. I was took weak to fight, the dragonroot was too powerful. So Re had to fight them all by himself. He defeated them, but they hit him with their weapons. He collapsed shortly after he defeated the humans, and he hasn't moved since."

"Are you alright Aurora?" Tenor asked.

"Physically yes," Aurora sighed. "But I don't know what I'll do if I loose him." She looked over at Re. They all followed her gaze. Serenity had finished wrapping Re's forehead, and was now addressing his other injuries. She was singing softly as she worked.

"How's he doing?" Chris asked her.

"He lost a lot of blood," Serenity said. "So we'll have to wait and see how he does. He's ok for now though." She snipped a thread and put the needle in her bag. She wrapped up the injury on Re's front leg.

"Well, those were the easier ones," she said, scooting over to the spear stuck in Re's flank. "This one will be a bit harder. I'll get him back to my hospital before I take out the spear." She crawled over to Re's head, and checked his eyes. "Concussion, and his body's in shock. We need to get him back to my tree ASAP." She got to her feet and went over to Tenor. She took off her stretcher.

"You think he'll die?" Hiccup asked. Serenity sighed sadly.

"I'm not going to lie," she said. "His chances look slim. But as long as he's alive, I'm going to do everything I can to get him back on his feet." She unfolded the stretcher. She looked at the nightly dragons. "You think you guys can carry him back on this?" The black dragons exchanged a glance.

"Yes we can," Toothless said. "But we won't be able to fly as fast."

"Then let's not waist anymore time," Serenity said. "We need to get him on this." She rolled out the stretcher. Hiccup, Chris, and the dragons helped her pull Re onto the stretcher without causing him further injury. When he was secure, they tied the ropes to the three dragons. Serenity turned to Aurora.

"You think you can help carry the stretcher?" she asked.

"I still have dragonroot in my system," Aurora sobbed. "It's limiting my movements." Serenity turned to her bag and opened it back up. She pulled out a vile of a purple fluid. "Here this'll help." She opened the vile and poured the purple fluid into Aurora's mouth. She drank it and soon she felt her strength return.

"Thank you," she said. She then grasped the last rope in her talons. Serenity mounted Tenor. They all took off, lifting the stretcher off the ground. They headed back towards Berk.

The sun came up as they flew over the ocean. Hardly anyone was looking a head though. They were all looking down at Re. He stayed unconscious. He was already starting to bleed through some of his bandages. His face was still frozen in pain.

"I hope he doesn't die," Chris said. "I just got him back."

"He's done so much for Berk," Hiccup said. "He and my father, Stoic, were good friends. Re always had his back. He always had mine too."

"Never in his whole life has Re abandoned his friends," Aurora said. "He made doing the right thing look so easy."

"Well, my hospital is in sight," Serenity said. "I can work on getting him better." They all looked ahead and saw the tip of Berk's mountain. They picked up speed, holding the stretcher tightly.

Soon they reached the village and flew up to the apple tree. When they got there they carefully lowered the stretcher to the ground. The dragons landed and the riders dismounted. Serenity checked on Re. Blood was leaking through the bandages.

"I need to change his bandages," Serenity said. She opened the doors to her house and helped pull Re inside. When he was in place, Serenity kindly shooed everyone out.

"You should all get some rest," she said. "This could take a while." She closed the doors and locked them. She turned to Re, laying so still. She knelt beside his head. "It's okay your majesty, I'll take good care of you. You'll be okay." She got right to work. She used her more advanced equipment from home.

After she changed his bandages, she cut the spear our of his flank and sewed up the wound. Luckily the spear hadn't pierced any internal organs, but it did stab his thigh bone. So she patched that up as well. She sang while she worked and talked to Re. His face slowly relaxed, but he still didn't wake up.

About two hours went by. Serenity addressed each and every injury on Re's body. She changed his bandages again when they got too bloody. The bandages on his head covered his eyes. Soon he was all wrapped up and looking a bit more comfortable. Serenity stroked his neck.

"You should be okay now," she said. "There's a lot of people out there who don't want to loose you." She carefully hugged his head. She then got to her feet and opened the doors back up. Everyone was waiting outside. They looked up when Serenity came out.

"He's all patched up," she said. "I don't know when he'll wake up though."

"Can I see him?" Aurora asked. Serenity stepped aside and allowed Aurora to pass. Inside, Aurora laid beside her mate. She nuzzled him, tears in her eyes again.

"Re always seemed so strong," Astrid said. "I never thought he'd get this badly hurt."

"He always has either me or Aurora to fight alongside him," Tenor said. "If it's just him against that many humans, he'll win but just barely. He never gives up though, no matter how badly he gets hurt."

"I remember when he saved us from Eret's dragon trappers," Astrid said.

"Yeah, he got a thrill out of that," Tenor said.

"He saved my scales," said Stormfly.

"Where would we all be without Re?" said Fishlegs.

"I'd probably be dead," Chris said.

"I'd be dead or locked in a dungeon for an eternity," Tenor said.

"I would have been homeless when Ruby died," Serenity said.

"Or would have died of blood loss when the wolves attacked you," said Aurora from inside.

"If he dies, I feel everything will all fall apart," Hiccup said.

"He won't die," Serenity said. "Re is very strong, that'll work in his favor. But if he doesn't wake up by next week, we'll fly him back to Draconia."

"Serenity, he's bleeding again," Aurora said. Serenity turned and went back to Re's side. His head injury was indeed bleeding again. Serenity took off the bandage and checked his injury. Blood was seeping though the stitches.

"I'll restitch it," Serenity said. She closed the doors again and returned to her post. She clipped off the stitches and pulled out another needle and thread. She sewed up the gash, making the stitches tighter. When it was all sewn up Serenity wrapped it in fresh bandages, making those tighter as well.

"There, hopefully that will hold this time," she said. Aurora rested her head beside Re's. She tried to listen to his thoughts, but all she heard was white noise.

"I'm here Re," she said. "I won't leave you." She looked at Serenity. "Can I stay in here until he's better?"

"Yes you may," Serenity said, picking up the bloody bandages. "I'm going to let Chris stay in here too. I may need a second of eyes to watch him." She stroked Re's neck. She lifted Re's head and rested it on a cushion. Aurora nuzzled her mate's neck. She could hear him faintly breathing. Serenity put the bloody bandages in a bowel of hot water and disinfectants. She set the bowel on the counter and let it sit for a while. She went back outside. Almost everyone had gone by now, except Chris, Hiccup, and the three nightly dragons.

"I've everything for him," Serenity said. "Now he just has to heal."

"Can we see him now?" Hiccup asked. Serenity nodded and stood aside. They all entered the house and stood on either side of Re.

"He won't be able to see anything when he wakes up," Chris said, spying the bandages over Re's eyes.

"Not at first," said Serenity. "But once his head injury heals, the bandages will come off. I'm hoping they'll come off before he wakes up though." She absentmindedly stroked Toothless's neck.

"Can we stay here?" Hiccup asked.

"If you want to stay at the hospital you'll have to sleep outside," Serenity said. "There's not enough room in the house. And you'll have to go back down to your village in the morning."

"Deal," Hiccup said.

They all watched over Re. Serenity poured water into Re's mouth. Aurora never left his side. When the sun went down Serenity checked his injuries again. The stitches did their job. Serenity finished washing the bloody bandages.

"What would you loose if Dad dies?" Chris asked Serenity.

"I would loose a great king," Serenity said. "Ruby was my fatherly figure. Re was more of a loving teacher. I greatly admire him for taking me under his wing when Ruby died however. I reckon if anyone needed a second father, Re would be the best one for the roll." They all murmured in agreement. Serenity finished washing the bandages and hung them up to dry. "He had the answer to every question I ever asked. I'm pretty sure there's nothing he can't do."

"He can't return from the dead," Aurora said sadly.

"He hasn't died yet," Serenity said, looking a bit annoyed.

"I know," Aurora said.

"I can get him back on his feet," Serenity said. "You wait and see. He got hit by lightning and I still managed to heal him."

"Hit by lightning?" Chris said, shocked. Serenity crouched beside Re and pointed to the big scar between his wing joints. No scales grew there, just raw skin.

"Whoa, that's a huge scar," Hiccup said.

"It was a big bolt of lightening," Aurora said. "It almost killed him."

"I managed to find a weak heartbeat," Serenity said. "And I patched him up. That's how I earned this bag." She patted her medical bag, which was resting next to Re's head. Just then Aurora yawned.

"We should get to bed," Serenity said.

"I will stay up and watch him," Aurora said.

"Ok, wake me up if something happens," Serenity said. Aurora nodded and made herself comfortable. Hiccup and Toothless went outside. Tenor and Windwalker found a patch of ground and laid down. Chris and Serenity got into the large bed and went to sleep, Serenity turning out the light.

Windwalker looked at Re sadly. The dragon king had made a big impact on so many lives. A dragon that good didn't deserve to die.

"You think he'll be okay?" she asked Tenor.

"Well, we'll see if he survives the night," Tenor said. "But I'm pretty sure he'll be fine. Re's the strongest dragon I know, and he's in the hands of the best dragon healer in the archipelago."

"She's the only dragon healer in the archipelago," Windwalker pointed out.

"Aye, that's going to be a lot of pressure on her," Tenor said. "She'll need all the help we can give her. Aurora's going to need a lot of support as well. This'll be harder for her than the rest of us. Re's her sole mate, she's known him since they were eggs."

"I had someone like that once," Windwalker said sadly. "Only, he didn't turn out as wonderful as Re."

"Really? What was his name?" Tenor asked.

"Syrik," Windwalker said. "He started out as a good friend, but then he turned on me and killed my parents."

"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," Tenor said. "So all of a sudden he just turned into a psychopath?"

"No, he changed over time," Windwalker said. "I'm not sure what tipped him over the edge. He broke into our cave, killed my parents, then tried to kill me. That's when I unlocked my titan wing. I was able to kill him, but I was too late to save my parents." Tenor's eyes softened.

"I wish I could have been there for you," he said.

"You're very sweet," Windwalker said.

"You were willing to trust me?" Tenor said. "After your last friend turned on you?"

"I was weary of you, but something about you made me trust you," Windwalker said. Then she changed the subject. "I'll have to get back to my friends soon, I'm worried something has happened to them in my absence." Aurora turned to look at them.

"Re and I want to offer you and your squadron a home on one of our islands," She said, sounding a bit hoarse. "It's perfectly safe. That is if you want it." Windwalker looked curious.

"You mean it?" she asked.

"Yes," Aurora said. "It's a volcanic Island off the north coast of Draconia. It's nice and big." Windwalker considered.

"I do want my squadron to be safe," she said. "I'll talk it over with them. Thank you."

"It was Re's idea," Aurora croaked, placing a paw on Re's head. "It was the last thing I discussed with him." She heaved a sob and licked Re's snout.

"Wow, that was very nice of him," Windwalker said.

"That makes all of us," Tenor said.

"He figured it would allow you two to get to know each other more," Aurora said. "And it'll keep Serenity and Chris from being separated again." Windwalker smiled.

"That's very sweet of him," she said. "I should check on them, but I want to know if Re will pull through."

"Where did you leave them?" Aurora asked.

"In a mountain range as far from any humans as possible," Windwalker said.

"I can keep my eye on them with my magic," Aurora offered. "My titan wing enhances it."

"You can use your magic now?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes, now that the dragonroot has left my system," said Aurora. "And now that Re's safe." She took a deep breath and stared ahead. "I can see them. They're safe, and I see no threat coming their way."

"Thank you," said Windwalker. She yawned and stretched. Tenor laid his head on his paws and fell asleep. Windwalker followed suit. Aurora glanced down at Re, tears streaming down her face. She nibbled behind his horns.

"Re, sweetheart, can you hear me?" she asked. "Can you give me a sign? I can hear your thoughts. Please give me a sign." She listened in on his thoughts again. She expected more white noise, but this time it was like looking into a mirror. She could see herself in his mind. Aurora heaved a sigh.

"You're in Serenity's hospital, she came to our aid," she said. She saw images of the apple tree and the house in Re's head. Then the image of herself returned. Aurora nuzzled him again. "Please don't die, I love you too much." She laid her head beside his and put her wings over his shoulders. All grew quiet.

Some hours later Serenity was woken up by Aurora. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

"What's the matter ma'am?" she asked.

"Something's wrong," Aurora said. Serenity got out of bed and knelt beside Re. She listened to his heartbeat and breathing. The first thing she noticed was that his skin burned with fever. Re was moaning with every breath. Serenity checked his injuries again.

"Oh no, his injuries got infected," she said. "Aurora can you get me some water please?" Aurora got up and went outside. Serenity treated Re's injuries with more Night Fury saliva and rewrapped them. Aurora came back with a bucket of water. She set it beside Serenity then laid back down.

"Thank you," said Serenity. Using a tube and a ladle, she poured the water into Re's mouth. "Did he wake up?"

"No," Aurora sobbed. "His body just started heating up." Serenity got up and opened the doors and windows, letting in a cool breeze.

"That should help cool him down," she said, sitting back down. She ladled more water into Re's mouth. She slowly drained the whole bucket. Re relaxed and stopped moaning, but his scales still burned. At that moment the others woke up.

"Is everything okay?" Chris asked, worried.

"Re's got a fever," Serenity said. "And it's a pretty bad one."

"Is he still alive?" Tenor asked.

"He is," Serenity said. "I have a lid on it now." She petted Re's neck.

"Can we do anything to help?" Tenor asked.

"Not yet," said Serenity. "But when the sun comes up we should get him outside. Fresh air will be good for him. He's stable for now. You guys can go back to sleep if you want, there's not much left to do." Everyone reluctantly went back to sleep. Serenity gave Re some medicine then let him rest. She crawled back into bed and went to sleep.

The next morning Re was moved outside. He still had a high fever. Serenity gave him more water and a dose of medicine. She unwrapped his bandages and gave him a wash, being careful of the stitches. She sang as she worked. Aurora paced up and down, worried.

"How are you doing Aurora?" Tenor asked.

"He's going to die," Aurora cried hysterically. Tenor stood in front of her, blocking her path.

"Aurora, you need to calm down," he said sternly. "Re never gave up on any of us, it's only fair that we don't give up on him." Aurora sighed and sat on her haunches. Tenor nuzzled her gently. Aurora returned the gesture, and cried into his neck.

"So what happens to you two if Re dies?" Windwalker asked.

"I take over running the country," Aurora sobbed. "And Tenor's free to do what he likes."

"Would find another mate, and hatch heirs?" Windwalker asked.

"I'll never get another mate," Aurora said. "Re's the only one I want. If that means no eggs, then I'll live with that."

"We'll luckily he's not going to die," Serenity said, as she rewrapped Re's injuries. "He made it through the night, and that's a good sign." She finished wrapping up the last injury. When she was finished Aurora laid back down beside Re. She nuzzled him.

"He does look better in the daylight," Tenor said. They looked down at Re. His green scales had faded a touch, but he did look a lot better. He was breathing normally.

"I'm thinking he'll wake up in a day or so," Serenity said. At that moment the other riders landed and dismounted.

"How's he doing?" Valka asked.

"He got a fever last night," Serenity said. "His injuries got infected. But I took care of it before it got any worse."

"Has he woken up?" asked Fishlegs.

"No," said Serenity. "But that makes things easier with me." Valka gently patted Re on the neck.

"He does feel feverish," Valka said. "But he also feels wet."

"I washed him, to cool him off," Serenity explained. "It helped him a great deal." Re suddenly moaned and huffed. They looked at him, but he didn't wake up. Aurora nuzzled him.

"Yeah, I'm defiantly thinking a day or two," Serenity said. "He'll be on his feet in no time."

"If nothing else happens," Chris said. Serenity sighed in irritation. She looked at both Hiccup and Chris. She could see the looks of doubt on their faces.

"You don't think he's going to pull through do you?" she asked, irritated.

"Well, he doesn't look too good," Hiccup said.

"His scales have faded," Chris said. "I've watched dragons die as their scales paled." Serenity put her hands on her hips, looking very annoyed.

"Well it's good to know you all have such great faith in my work," she said sarcastically. She slammed her hat down on the ground angrily, then stormed over to Tenor. "I'm going for a ride. I'll be right back." She mounted Tenor and took off.

They flew to the other side of the island and landed on a high cliff. Serenity dismounted and sat down. Tenor sat beside her.

"Do you feel the same way Tenor?" she asked.

"Well," Tenor said, a touch uncomfortably. "I've seen you pull off miracles before. So I'm pretty sure you can pull off another one. But Re's hurt pretty bad and it got infected." Serenity sighed angrily.

"Not one of you think I can get him back on his feet," she said, putting a hand over her face.

"Whoa I never said you couldn't do it," Tenor said.

"But you do think that," Serenity said. "I know you do, I see the doubt in your eyes."

"Doesn't matter what I think," Tenor said. "Doesn't matter what they think. What matters is what you think. You didn't have to get mad." Serenity picked up a twig and fiddled with it.

"They keep saying he's going to die like I'm not even trying," she said, breaking the twig in half.

"I'm sure they don't mean to doubt you," Tenor said.

"But they do doubt me," Serenity said. At that moment Windwalker landed on the cliff and dismounted. Serenity and Tenor got to their feet.

"How are you doing?" Chris asked. Serenity sighed.

"Well, my feelings are kind of hurt," she said. Chris got closer to her and took her hand in his.

"I didn't mean to sound like I was doubting you," he said.

"But you do doubt me," Serenity said. "You all keep saying he's going die, like I'm not trying to save him."

"We're just preparing ourselves for the worst," Chris tried to explain.

"I can get him back on his feet," Serenity said. "You don't have to prepare yourselves for anything. He's going to make it." She choked on the last few words. Chris saw the tears in her eyes. He pulled her into his arms and let her cry into his shoulder.

"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings," he said. "They may doubt, but they don't want you to give up either."

"I don't know what to do," Serenity said.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Chris said. "They'll eventually see the light." Serenity let go of him. "Feel better?"

"A bit," Serenity said. "I'm glad you're here." She hugged him again. "You're a good friend Chris."

"You're welcome," Chris said. "You think you can get back to work?" Serenity let go.

"I don't know," she said. "If they keep doubting me, I'm going to start doubting myself."

"Oh, well we can't have you doubting yourself," Chris said. "Then Dad will die. You're his only hope." Serenity finally smiled. She kissed his cheek.

"He'll get better," she said.

"And I believe you," Chris said. Before Serenity could say another word, he kissed right on the lips. When he pulled back Serenity's cheeks were pink. She smiled wider.

"Let's get back," she said. "I feel better now."

"That's good," Chris said. They mounted their dragons and took off. "They've decided to put the death talk on hold."

"Well you could have told me that sooner," Serenity said, giggling. She clicked the reins and Tenor sped up.

When they got back to the village, they landed beside the apple tree and dismounted. The riders, minus Hiccup, had gone back downstairs. Serenity checked on Re again. His fever still burned. She gave him more water.

"Are you okay Serenity?" asked Aurora.

"Yes ma'am," said Serenity.

"We did not mean to insult you," said Aurora. "You are a great healer. I was only speaking from fear."

"It's okay ma'am," Serenity said. "I forgive you." She hugged the queen's neck. Aurora smiled.

"And thank you, for all you've done for him," she said. Serenity nodded, and smiled. She stroked Re's neck.

When the sun went down Re was moved back inside. Serenity gave him more water and more medicine. He was slow starting to improve. Serenity checked on his injuries. They were noticeably smaller. She cleaned them and rewrapped them. Aurora stayed in her spot beside him. She yawned.

"You should get some sleep tonight," Serenity told her. "I'll watch him." Aurora looked at her.

"I want to watch over him," she said.

"He's not going anywhere," Serenity said. "Just sleep for a little while, I'll wake you up when I'm feeling sleepy. We'll do shifts." Aurora sighed.

"All right," she said. She laid her head down and closed her eyes. Serenity put a freshly filled bucket of water near Re's head. Then she sat beside him, and leaned against his shoulders. She carefully lifted his head and rested it on her lap. She stroked his muzzle, and adjusted the bandage on his forehead so it wasn't covering his eyes. She felt his hot breath on her hand.

She must have dozed off because she suddenly heard a scraping sound. She sat up and looked around. It was still dark. She saw something slithering over by the door, making the scraping sound. It took her a moment to realize it was Re's tail. She looked down at his head, he was flinching.

"Re?" she said softly. Re shifted, and finally opened his blue eyes. He moaned and lifted his head. He sniffed the air.

"Why is so dark in here?" he asked.

"It's the middle of the night," Serenity said. "How are you feeling?"

"Thirsty," Re said.

"There's a bucket of water over there," Serenity said, pointing to it. Re swung his head round and spotted the bucket. He drank from it, draining the whole bucket.

"That's better," he said. "Where's Aurora?"

"She's right beside you," said Serenity. Re felt around in the dark with his nose. Soon he felt Aurora's neck.

"She's had a rough time without you," Serenity said. Re purred. Deciding to let her rest, he laid his head back down.

"How long was I out?" he asked.

"A day or so," Serenity said. "Being old and strong worked in your favor. Are you in pain anywhere?"

"Not yet," Re said. He shifted, then he hissed. "Now I am."

"It hurts to move?" Serenity asked. Re nodded. "It'll get better, but it won't be easy. You should walk around tomorrow." Re sighed.

"All right," he said. He stretched and hissed when it hurt.

"I'm sorry you got hurt," Serenity said. "Especially when you just barely recovered from your last injury."

"It's okay," Re said. "I make it my job to take the arrow for the innocent ones." He yawned and laid his head down again.

"You going to be okay?" Serenity asked.

"Yeah," Re said. "Thank you, for coming to help." Serenity patted his neck. Re closed his eyes and went back to sleep. Serenity made herself comfortable, and went back to watching him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

When morning came, Re didn't wake up again, but Serenity defiantly saw a smile on his face. Serenity checked his injuries again. Many of them were ready to have the stitches taken out.

"I'll be taking out these stitches today," she said. "Why don't the rest of you go get some breakfast. I'll bring him out when I finish." Aurora nuzzled her mate, then reluctantly followed the others out side. Serenity knelt beside Re.

"You doing any better?" she asked him.

"Yes, a bit better," Re said. Serenity opened her bag and pulled out clippers and tweezers. She began removing the stitches in his leg and shoulder. Re watched her, and listen to her sing. Serenity took out the stitches in his legs, neck, and flank.

When she finished she gave his neck a good pat. She then put her tools away.

"You'll be sore for a while," she said. "But it'll go away."

"I'm used to it," Re said. He rolled so his feet were under him. Serenity got up and stood back. Re heaved himself to he feet, hissing at the pain. When he was standing he turned to face Serenity. She smiled and stroked his snout.

"Aurora's going to be so happy to see you," she said.

"I'm going to be happy to see her," Re said. "I'm glad she got out of that safely." Serenity went over to the doors.

"I think a lot of people around here will be happy to see you," she said. "Everyone missed you." Re purred. Serenity opened the doors and Re limped outside. Everyone looked up from their conversation. Aurora jumped to her feet.

"Re! You're up!" she cried happily. She pranced over to him and nuzzled him. Re nuzzled her back. "How are you feeling?"

"I hurt everywhere," Re said. "But I can endure it."

"I'm so sorry I wan't able to help you fight," Aurora said.

"It's okay Aurora, it's over now," Re said. Aurora sighed nuzzled him again. Serenity closed the doors, then sat in her chair. Re laid down in the grass, and Aurora laid beside him.

"That was an incredibly brave thing you did Re," Windwalker said.

"I wish being brave wasn't so painful sometimes," Re said.

"I wish my parents could have met you," Windwalker said. "You're the type of dragon they greatly admired." Re looked at her with a soft expression.

"What happened to them?" he asked. "If you don't mind me asking." Windwalker looked sadly at the ground. Tenor looked at her concern.

"You don't have to tell this story if you want to," he said. "If it's so painful."

"That's okay," said Windwalker. "I can handle it now." She sat on her haunches. "I'll tell this story in the easiest way." They all sat around the fire. Chris sat beside his dragon, Serenity sat beside him, and Tenor sat on Windwalker's other side. Re stayed where he was. Windwalker took a deep breath.

"Many years ago, there was a young female Nighty Fury," Windwalker began, with Chris translating. "She came into this world scared and overwhelmed by it. But she had two loving parents who comforted her, and guided her. However, she felt alone as there were no other Night Fury her age in the nest. Even though her father was the alpha, she was still alone." This earned her a look of empathy from Tenor.

"Then she met an older, male Night Fury dragonet, named Syrik," Windwalker continued. "They became best friends, and did everything together. Then he started to change. He hardly spoke to her, and would look at her with a hungry glint in his eyes. It was creeping her out, she was afraid the she was losing him as a friend. Then one day Syrik approached her. He asked her to elope with him, even though she wasn't old enough for a mate. Syrik tried to force her into it, but she escaped and flew back to her parents. They banished him from the nest. The young female felt safe once again.

But one night she woke up to their screams. She rushed to their cave, and watched as he slaughtered them in cold blood." Windwalker paused, her face scrunched up with agony. "The young female tried to escape but Syrik shot at the entrance, making rocks fall and block her way out. She had no other choice, but to fight him. He was strong, and easily overpowered her. She lay on the ground, bloody and helpless. Syrik whispered in her ear that he was going to bend her to his will. She tried again to escape, but he slashed his claws across her flank. She struggled against him in vain. She cried desperately to Lord Draco for help. Then suddenly her scales glowed blue, and she felt a surge of strength and power. She was able to turn the tables on Syrik, and she ripped him to pieces. Only after she won, was she able to morn her parents. She felt alone again. Then Lord Draco himself appeared beside her. He used his magic to heal her wounds, and he comforted her. He told her that she had a great destiny before her. He then, bestowed a gift on her and explained that it would come into play later in life. Draco carved a way out, and sunlight streamed into the cave. He promised her that no mater how bad things would get, if she never gave up hope, he would always answer her cries for help. Then he spread his wings and went back to the Dragon Heaven, taking the spirits of her parents with him. The young Night Fury gritted her teeth and took her father's place as alpha, and carried on his legacy." They all exchanged a glance.

"And has Father bean true to that promise?" asked Aurora.

"Yes he has," Windwalker said. "But he let some of my squadron die."

"They're in the Dragon Heaven now," Aurora said. "They're in a good place. Father will take good care of them. He most likely put them back under the command of your parents." Windwalker smiled at her.

"Thanks," she said. "Draco has helped us with many obstacles. And if what you told me is true, and you'll let us live in Draconia, it seems he's answered our preyers for a new home."

"It's true," Re said. "I take it, you're considering our offer."

"I would love to move to Draconia," Windwalker said. "It would give us an opportunity to rebuild." Re smiled. "We should head back soon, now that you're back on your feet." Re sat up and spread his wings. Several muscles popped and bones creaked.

"I don't think you should try flying just yet," Serenity said. "Give it another day." Re took a deep breath, flapped his wings a few times, then folded them.

"I'm just stretching them," he said. "I don't feel well enough to fly." He looked at Windwalker again. "When do you plan to return to your squadron." Windwalker looked at Tenor.

"Tomorrow," she said, rather sadly. Re and Aurora exchanged a glance.

"Well, I'm going to walk around a bit," Re said. "See how the village is doing." He slowly got to his feet.

"Do you need me to go with you?" asked Aurora. When Re was finally standing he stretched his wings again.

"I think I'll be okay," he said. "Don't worry about me. I'll be right back." He limped towards the path that lead to the village.

He limped into the plaza. It was bustling with vikings and dragons. Hiccup was in the forge with Toothless. They both looked up when Re limped over.

"Re! you're up!" said Hiccup, dropping what he was doing. "I guess Serenity was able to get you back on your feet."

"You didn't think she could?" Re asked. "She's pulled of miracles before."

"Yeah, she got awfully upset when it sounded like we were doubting her," Hiccup said.

"Were you doubting her?" Re asked. "Be honest." Hiccup sighed.

"Yeah, we were," he said. "You had a lot of horrific injuries, and they got infected. We didn't mean to hurt her feelings though. She's a great healer."

"Did she doubt herself?" Re asked.

"No," Hiccup said. "She was very sure you weren't going to die." Re suddenly grimaced and moaned. He sat on his haunches.

"You okay?" Toothless asked.

"Yeah, it just hurts," Re said. "It'll pass."

"Come in, lay down for a bit," Hiccup said. Re didn't argue. He got to his feet and limped into the forge. Grump was asleep in the corner. Suddenly Re bumped his horns on a rafter in the ceiling.

"OW!" he roared, scrunching his face up. He shook his head, then lowered it.

"I know all about the pain of recovery," Hiccup said, gesturing to his left leg. "At least you have all your limbs."

"True," Re said. "I've met many dragons who have lost limbs. Wings, legs, tails, fins, eyes, I've even met a Zippleback that was missing a head." Both Hiccup and Toothless looked shocked at this.

"Now there's an image," Toothless said.

"So, now that you're back on your feet, will you be leaving us soon?" Hiccup asked.

"Yes, we've been away from home too long," Re said. "And Windwalker still has to get back to her squadron. We hope to leave this week."

"In that case, thanks for all your help these passed few weeks," Hiccup said. Re beamed.

"I enjoy helping rookies," he said. "No thanks necessary. You think you'll survive when I leave?"

"I think so," said Hiccup. "If I get stuck I can always send you an air message."

"Or you can ask one of your friends, or your mom," Re said. "You'd probably get it resolved faster that way. You can contact me if you are having a real emergency."

"That sounds fair," Hiccup said. "What if they ridicule me for not knowing the answer?"

"You're friends with a Night Fury," Re pointed out, Toothless purring in agreement. "I don't think they'll ridicule you much. And if they do, throw them in the dungeon. That's what I used to do to the dragons who bullied Tenor." He lifted his head, but lifted it too fast and got his horns stuck in the ceiling. He growled. He tried pulling them out, but they were stuck tight and caused him pain.

"Oh, these wretched horns," he hissed. "I really should have them filed down." He pulled harder.

"It's not your horns," Toothless said. "The ceiling's too low for you." Re shook his head trying to dislodge his horns, and snapping his jaws in frustration.

"Hold still," Hiccup said. He went over to Re and tried to free the old dragon's horns. After several attempts, they came free.

"Thank you," Re grunted. He shook his head again, then clutched it in his paws.

"You okay?" Hiccup said.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Re said. "I should probably get back up to the tree though, the pain's coming back."

"And I should get back to work," Hiccup said. "See you later." Re just nodded. He left the forge, hitting his horns on the doorway on the way out. Then a thought came to Hiccup.

"Hey Re?" he asked. Re looked at him.

"Yes?" he asked.

"If I do marry Astrid," Hiccup began.

"If?" Re said, raising an eyebrow.

"When, I marry Astrid," Hiccup corrected. "Will you perform the wedding?" Re considered.

"I've never done a human wedding before," he said. "It should be interesting. Yes, all right. If you tell me what you want me to say beforehand."

"Deal," Hiccup said. Re exited and stepped out into the daylight. He spread his wings, but then stopped. He didn't know if he dared fly yet. He still felt pain, and lodging his horns into the ceiling hadn't helped. But he figured his titan wing would give him a boost of strength. He unlocked it, the rich yellow stood out vividly against his dark green scales. He did feel a touch stronger, though the pain was still there. He took a deep breath and took off. His wings felt very stiff from being folded for many hours. But it didn't bother him. He circled the village a few times.

Soon he returned to the tree. His family looked up at him as he landed. They looked quite surprised to see his titan wing unlocked.

"Wow, Re when did you unlock your titan wing?" Windwalker asked.

"During the fight," Re said. "It helped me win."

"Looks like Steel was right about your color too," said Aurora.

"Who is Steel?" asked Windwalker.

"She the blacksmith who made our armor," Re said. "She really knows her colors, and knows all about metal."

"I see," said Windwalker. "Is she the only blacksmith in the country?"

"No," Tenor said. "But she is the most advanced, and she's the closest one to our castle. She doesn't like me much though. My odd form was tough to make armor for."

"Was she one of the dragons who bullied you?" asked Windwalker.

"No," Tenor said. "But her siblings did, and her parents." He shook his head. "But I'm okay now, the little batch of friends I made here helped me recover a bit." He got to his feet and stretched. Re deactivated his titan wing, and was hit with a tidal wave of pain. He hissed and coiled up.

"You okay?" Serenity asked, getting up as well. Re dragged himself over to where Aurora lay. She looked worried again. Re collapsed beside her.

"It hurts, a lot," he moaned. "I don't think I'll make it home for a while." He seemed sad by the thought.

"I can get you home," Aurora said. "I can use a hurricane portal now. We can head home tomorrow. You'll be home in no time, then you can rest and heal." Re nodded but didn't say anything, since his teeth were clenched in agony. Serenity pulled out her medical bag and knelt beside Re. She pulled out a syringe and a vile. She filled the syringe with fluid from the vile, then injected it into Re's neck. When finished she put her things away.

"How's that feel?" she asked. Re started to relax.

"Better, thank you," he said.

"It'll make you drowsy for a while," Serenity said. "So you should take it easy until tomorrow." Re laid his head down and took a deep breath. Tenor stretched his limbs and wings.

"Well, I'm going for a run," he said. "I've gotten too lazy." He turned and galloped off. Windwalker watched him until he vanished. Aurora looked at her.

"You like him don't you," she said.

"Yeah," Windwalker said. "Does he have a history of being violent?"

"Only when he fights bad guys," Serenity said. "He has no problem killing them. But other than that, he's pretty mellow and very sweet."

"Hmmm," Windwalker said, deep in thought. "You think he'll as me to be his mate?"

"No," Serenity and Aurora said in unison.

"I've seen in his mind," Aurora said. "He's afraid of being turned down again."

"I remember when he asked a young Razorwhip," Serenity said. "She turned him down because she wasn't old enough for a mate. She was still nice to him though. But it really tore him up."

"I remember when he asked me," Aurora said gloomily. "I had to tell him no, and turn down the huge octopus he offered me. I didn't want to however. That almost killed him, I saw in his head that he wanted to kill himself. He thought he had nothing left."

"What stopped him?" Windwalker asked.

"We convinced him that things would be better for him once we were crowned," Re said, without opening his eyes. "He never found a mate, but he did find other friends besides us."

"What if some one asks him?" Windwalker asked.

"You still want a mate after what happened to your parents?" Aurora asked.

"Syrik wasn't my last suitor," Windwalker said. "There've been a few others. I've not had much luck with mates either. They've all had to leave for different reasons, or they died."

"If you asked him, it would end his suffering," Aurora said. "He might think it's a prank at first though, you'd have to say it just right." Windwalker considered.

"I should go find him then," she said. "If we're all leaving tomorrow." She got to her feet and took off. Re stretched his limbs, which had the pins and needles feeling. He looked over at his son and Serenity. Serenity looked rather sad.

"What's the matter my dear?" Re asked. Serenity looked at Aurora.

"Do you see any storms or bad weather between here and Windwalker's squadron?" he asked. Aurora looked strait a head.

"I see clear skies and seas," she said. "But weather's very unpredictable." Serenity looked at Chris, then took his hand in hers.

"You still don't know how to fly through a storm," she said.

"I'll be all right," Chris said. "I made it here just fine." Serenity laid her head on his shoulder.

"I don't want to loose you again," she said. Chris gripped her hand.

"It's okay," he said. "If we see a storm coming, we'll either land or go around it. I promise." Serenity didn't look convinced however. She took a deep breath. Aurora looked ahead again.

"I can see them making it all the way home," she said. "The vision is very clear." Chris looked at Serenity.

"Mom's visions have never been wrong before," he said.

"But they have changed abruptly," said Serenity.

"Serenity," Chris said. "I know you're worried about me, and you have every right to. But you didn't like it when we were doubting your healing skills, so you shouldn't doubt my ability to make it home safely. I've got good instincts and so does Windwalker." Serenity took another deep breath.

"All right, I trust you," she said. Chris put an arm around her shoulders.

"It'll be okay," he said. "I promise."

"I can still have Shark follow you just in case," Serenity said.

"She's all the way in Antarctica," Aurora said. "She won't be back up here until summer." Serenity took a few more huge breaths and calmed herself down.

"I still trust you," she said.

Elsewhere Tenor galloped through the forest. The tree whizzed by and he jumped over logs and boulders. However, he didn't know that he was being watched. He slowed to a fast lope. Suddenly Windwalker swooped down and landed in front of him. Rather than slam on the breaks, he jumped clean over her and kept running without breaking his stride.

"Wow," Windwalker said, quite impressed. She took off again and began looking for him again. She soon spotted him still running. She stayed in the air this time, not wanting to make him crash. He'd sped back up to a full run. She just watched him.

Soon he slowed down to a steady trot. Windwalker glided down and flew next to him.

"What are you running for?" she asked.

"Exercise," Tenor said.

"Oh," Windwalker said. "I hope I didn't startle you back there."

"You did, a bit," Tenor said. "I was going too fast to stop, so I jumped."

"That was impressive too," said Windwalker. Tenor beamed.

"Now, what are you stalking me for?" he asked, amused.

"I wanted to ask you something," Windwalker said. Tenor suddenly grinned mischievously.

"You'll have to catch me first," he said. And he took off and a full out run. He was out of sight in seconds. Windwalker flew higher and looked for Tenor a third time. She didn't see him. But then suddenly she heard singing on the air. She homed in on it, and it lead her to a clearing near the Cove. Tenor as in the middle of it singing quietly to himself. Windwalker landed and just listened.

 _In the sea the fish have learned to fly_

 _On a moonlit night on wings of silver_

 _As the enchanted stars sail serenely by_

 _Do they know where do unicorns go_

 _Where winged horses fly_

 _Narwhales lost at sea and never seen again_

 _Go, go and ask the magpie_

 _Where do unicorns go_

The song was very beautiful. Windwalker couldn't help but fine Tenor's singing voice attractive. He didn't notice her, and sang a second verse.

 _In the trees the birds have learned to speak_

 _Gaily colored they keep their secrets_

 _In a parade of clouds playing hide and seek_

 _Do they know where do unicorns go_

 _Where winged horses fly_

 _Narwhales lost at sea and never seen again_

 _Does myth and mystery lie_

 _Where the unicorns go._

When the song ended Windwalker entered the clearing. Tenor turned around to face her.

"That was very nice," she said. "You run fast, you fly fast, you can read the stars, you can fight, and you can sing. It's really astounding you haven't found a mate yet." Tenor hung is head, and sat on his haunches.

"They could not get passed the way I look," he said. "Back home my talents mean nothing." Windwalker approached him, and carefully nuzzled his neck. She felt him shudder in surprise.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you," she said. Tenor sniffed.

"Yeah, I know," he said. "I've just never had a female get this close before."

"If you don't mind me asking, what would you want in a mate?" Windwalker asked.

"Well, I want someone who is strong, brave, loving, smart, and stubborn," Tenor said.

"Stubborn you say," said Windwalker. Tenor nodded.

"And a sense of humor doesn't hurt either," he added.

"What do you mean by stubborn?" Windwalker asked. Tenor took a deep breath.

"I mean someone who won't run from a fight, who won't ever back down," he said. "Because truth be told, I'm getting kind of tired of being the only one who comes to the rescue. I don't want a mate to rescue all the time, I want a mate to do the rescuing with me. I want someone who's strong and stubborn enough to stay out of the dragon hunter's shackles, and can help me help others. I want a mate who's willing win by the skin of her teeth. I know that's a lot to ask, and I don't have a lot to give in return."

"Maybe you have more than you think," Windwalker said. "I want a mate who puts others first, but also takes time out for himself. I want someone with no history of domestic violence, and is really good in a fight." Tenor looked at her, he looked hopeful.

"I have killed before," he said.

"I have too," said Windwalker. "But never a family member or a friend, or any one I know is innocent. I only kill criminals and pray." She moved and stood right beside him. This time he stayed relaxed.

"Have you found someone who meets your standards?" he asked, the hope draining from his eyes.

"Yes," Windwalker said. "I've met someone who's met my standards, plus a couple of bonuses. You're right a sense of humor doesn't hurt."

"You said you wanted to ask me something," Tenor said.

"I'll get to that in a minuet," Windwalker said. "Not quite sure how to ask it just yet."

"You don't seem like the shy type," Tenor said.

"I'm not, not usually." said Windwalker. "Anyway, do you know any more songs?"

"Thousands," Tenor said. "Hundreds of thousands. Music and singing are a huge part of Draconian culture."

"I know that part," Windwalker said. "Chris would often sing something every night."

"Serenity would too," Tenor said.

"She can sing too?" Windwalker said.

"Oh, her singing would put a choir of angels to shame," Tenor said. "Which makes her such a pleasure to travel with. What about you?"

"I've only sung war songs," Windwalker said. "I don't know as many as you do."

"That'll change," Tenor said. "Now that you're done fighting."

"Yeah," Windwalker agreed. She stepped closer to him, so she could touch her wing to his. "What other songs do you know."

"Mostly lonely heart songs," Tenor said. "And travel songs. Now what is it you want to ask me?" Windwalker hesitated. She took a deep breath.

"Tenor, to be completely honest with you, I've had eyes for you ever since you came out into the sunlight," she said. "And trust me when I say this is not a prank."

"I believe you," Tenor said. He thumped his tail on the ground. Windwalker looked him in his jade green eyes.

"Tenor, will you be my mate?" she asked, as seriously as she could. Tenor's eyes went very wide. Windwalker could see tears in them.

"Yes, yes I will," he stammered. Windwalker beamed and nuzzled him. Tenor returned the gesture without hesitation. He felt a huge wave of emotions hit him like a crashing wave. He took a small step back.

"You okay?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes, I'm just suddenly very emotional," Tenor said. "No one's ever asked me that." He laid down on the grass, and Windwalker laid beside him.

"I know, why don't you come back to my squadron with us," Windwalker said. "We could use the navigation of a stargazer."

"That's very kind of you," Tenor said. "But I can't just abandoned Serenity, I love her too."

"Well, she can come too," Windwalker said. "She and Chris are so fond of each, it would be a shame to separate them."

"She'd love it," Tenor said. "She loves to travel, and she likes meeting new dragon friends."

"Well good, it would be hear that beautiful singing voice you mentioned," Windwalker said. Tenor smiled dreamily.

"Any long flight seems shorter when she sings," he said.

"What about you?" Windwalker asked. "Do you have anymore songs to sing."

"I do have one," Tenor said. "Been saving it for this. Also, back home new dragon couples always sing a mating song."

"Really?" said Windwalker suddenly uneasy.

"Yeah, Re and Aurora did it," Tenor said.

"I don't know any mating songs," Windwalker said.

"We're supposed to come up with it together," Tenor said. "That's what makes it official. However Serenity and Chris will be doing it the human way I think."

"What way is that?" Windwalker said.

"A special mating ceremony where Serenity dresses in a white dress," Tenor said. "They call it a wedding, should be interesting."

"Well, lets head back and let everyone know," Windwalker said. "And you can sing me your song." Tenor beamed.

"All right, my strength has returned," he said.

They got to their feet. They spread their wings and took off. As they headed back to the village Tenor sang his song. He clicked his talons together to keep time.

 _You could never know what it's like_

 _Your blood like winter freezes just like ice_

 _And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you_

 _You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use_

He spun and flipped. The song was high energy and quite fast. He picked up the volume.

 _And did you think this fool could never win?_

 _Well look at me, I'm coming back again_

 _I got a taste of love in a simple way_

 _And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away_

 _Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did_

 _Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid_

 _I'm still standing after all this time_

 _Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _Once I never could hope to win_

 _You starting down the road leaving me again_

 _The threats you made were meant to cut me down_

 _And if our love was just a circus you'd be a clown by now_

 _Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did_

 _Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid_

 _I'm still standing after all this time_

 _Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did_

 _Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid_

 _I'm still standing after all this time_

 _Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

 _I'm still standing, yeah, yeah, yeah_

By the time the song ended, the village was in sight. They swooped down and landed on the grass. Re was dozing off and Aurora was watching him. Chris was helping Serenity pick apples for their long flight. They all looked up when the two nightly dragons landed.

"How'd it go?" asked Aurora.

"Successfully," said Windwalker. "Tenor's lonely days are over." They all smiled at this.

"That's wonderful to hear," Aurora said.

"Have you come up with a mating song yet?" Re asked weakly.

"No," Tenor said.

"That's all right," Aurora said. "It took us months to come up with ours."

"I still remember every word of it too," Re croaked. He lifted his head.

"I haven't really written any songs," Windwalker said.

"Don't worry, you'll get one," Aurora said. "The best way to get your own song, is to let it come to you."

"What do you sing about?" asked Windwalker.

"Anything," Re said. "We can't really use pen and paper like humans, so we use songs to tell our stories."

"That makes sense," Windwalker said. "We haven't had much time for songs during the war."

"Well, war's over now," Chris said. "I'm looking forward to being home."

"We're heading back to my squadron tomorrow," Windwalker said. "I wonder if Tenor would be allowed to tag along."

"It's up to him," said Re. They all turned to look at Tenor. He glanced at his rider, who glanced back at him.

"I've never gone on a long flight without my rider," he said.

"I told you she can come too," said Windwalker. They all now looked at Serenity. She smiled, looking at the basket of apples in her arms. Chris held out his hand to her, and she took it.

"If your friends don't mind me tagging along," she said.

"They've been dying to meet you," said Windwalker. "Chris talked about you so much."

"It means traveling again," Tenor said.

"All right then," Serenity said. "We should get these packed up then." She hoisted the basket of apples over to the table. Then she looked at Re. "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me," Re said. "You've done a lot for me all ready. I just have to get home and recuperate. I'll be fine." Serenity hesitated.

"I'll send a Hermes Dragon ahead to Vitamin," she said. "Explain your condition, he can check on you."

"Very well," Re said. He stretched again. His bones creaked and he moaned in pain. "I'm going to walk around a bit. Stretch my legs." He slowly got his feet. He stretched his wings, but didn't take off.

"You want me to come with you?" Aurora asked.

"I would appreciate that," Re said. Aurora got to her feet as well. They made their way down the hill, Re limping. Chris and Serenity sat in their chairs and their dragons sat beside them. Windwalker suddenly spotted the troubled look on Tenor's face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I can't help thinking," Tenor said. "If I had gone with them on their fishing trip, Re wouldn't have gotten so badly hurt. He's never had to fight so many enemies by himself."

"You are not to blame," Windwalker said. "Bad things just happen."

"I don't think this one was avoidable," Chris said. "Dad's still alive, and he's walking again."

"By the time we get back he'll be back to normal," Serenity said. Windwalker changed the subject.

"So what are you going to do when you get home Tenor?" she asked.

"Take a nap and sleep off the jet lag," Tenor said. "Then go jump in the lagoon, then go back to my job."

"Where do you sleep in the castle?" Windwalker said.

"Very few have seen my place," Tenor said. "It's slightly separate from the main castle. But the only way into it is though a secret tunnel, that connects to the castle. Re, Aurora, and myself are the only ones who know where the entrance is and how to open it."

"We've never even seen it," Chris said. "I've searched the whole castle, and found no hint of it. I always found it strange when I couldn't find Tenor in any of the other rooms during the day, but then he just appeared out of nowhere. I always thought he could walk through the walls." Tenor looked proud of himself.

"The dragons of Draconia could search the castle forever, and never find it," he said. "And even if they did managed to get inside it, they wouldn't be able to see. My place isn't designed for day dragons."

"Do I get to see it?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes you do," Tenor said. "I'll have to clean it up a bit though, there's star charts everywhere."

"You have no lights in your room?" Serenity asked.

"I have some in my observatory, where my telescope is," Tenor said. "But my planetarium has no lights, just stars and a fake moon."

"I can't wait to see it," Windwalker said. "And I won't tell anyone where it is." Tenor smiled at her gratefully.

"What exactly will the other dragons do if they found it?" Chris asked.

"They'll probably trash the place and set it on fire," Tenor said. "I put a lot of work into that telescope. It's one of my most valued treasures. If they destroyed it, it would make me very depressed."

"Even if they did destroy your place, you'd still have the real stars," Windwalker said.

"True," Tenor said. "But I still won't tell them where it is."

"Well, we should all get some rest," said Windwalker. "I plan to leave first thing tomorrow." Once the apples were packed up, they all got ready for bed as the sun went down.

Re and Aurora entered the village. Re was limping so badly he almost fell over several times. Aurora let him lean on her. They entered the plaza. The riders and their dragons spotted them, and hurried over.

"Re, how are you doing?" asked Astrid.

"Better," Re said. "But still in a lot of pain."

"How did you defeat all those guys?" asked Snotlout. "There must have been hundreds of them."

"Re unlocked his titan wing," said Aurora. "All on his own."

"Whoa, really?" said Snotlout. "What does it look like?" Re took a deep breath and stood at his full height. He opened his wings and unlocked his titan wing. He seemed to get stronger with it unlocked.

"Wow, that is cool," said Astrid. "That looks better than your armor."

"Where is your armor, by the way?" asked Fishlegs. Re looked down at himself.

"They cut it off me," he said. "I'll have to get it latter. We're heading home tomorrow."

"You sure you can make it?" asked Hiccup, joining them with Toothless.

"I'm sure," said Re. "It's a day's flight, I'll be fine." He flapped his wings a few times, then folded them and deactivated his titan wing. He stumbled and Aurora held him on his feet. He took several deep breaths then stood on his own four feet.

"I'm okay," he said.

"So I take it Windwalker and Chris are going back to their squadron," said Astrid.

"Yup," Re said. "Serenity and Tenor are going with them."

"Windwalker fancies Tenor," Aurora said. They all looked surprised at this.

"She wants him for a mate?" asked Fishlegs.

"Yup, but it's not official until they come up with their own mating song and sing it," Re said. "It's a dragon thing."

"You sing to each other like birds?" asked Hiccup.

"The birds got the idea from us," Aurora said. "The whales too. I've even heard some humans do it as well." She looked over to where Valka was attending to Cloudjumper's teeth.

"You remember the song my parents sang," said Hiccup. It wasn't a question.

"We may forget a lot of things, but we never forget a song," Re said.

"No offense but you dragons don't seem like the singing type," said Fishlegs.

"Oh really, you've never met any dragons who love to sing?" Aurora asked.

"Well there was the Death Song," Hiccup said. "We managed to communicate with it by singing."

"Nothing brings them pleasure more than music," said Aurora. "And I've heard recently that they're planing to change their diet, eat less of our kind and more fish."

"Well that's good," Hiccup said.

"Did you two sing a mating song?" asked Astrid.

"We did," Re said. "Same day we were crowned, took us months to come up with it." Suddenly he hissed in pain and coiled. Pain was shooting through his body. Aurora snorted in shock.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I think I need to head back up to the tree," Re groaned. "The pain's coming back."

"We'll come see you off tomorrow," Hiccup said. Then he threw his arms around Re's neck. Re blinked in surprise, but then return the gesture. "Thanks for all your help these passed few weeks."

"You're welcome," Re said, slightly stunned. "Like I said, I like helping rookies. I'm going to hatch some pretty soon." Hiccup let go and stood next to Toothless again.

"You looking forward to hatching eggs?" asked Astrid.

"And making our family bigger," Aurora added. "Well we should get some rest." The two dragons turned around and headed back up to the tree. Re still limped badly.

By the time they got back the sun was well set. Windwalker and Tenor were curled up together, fast asleep. Chris and Serenity were nowhere in sight. Re laid down beside the trunk. Aurora laid beside him.

"That's a bit better," Re said. Aurora nuzzled his neck. "Do you see eggs in our future?"

"Yup," said Aurora. "It becomes clearer every day. But only after you're fully recovered." Re nodded and laid his head down. He fell asleep in seconds. Aurora smiled at him. She used her magic to ease his pain and help him relax. Once he was sound asleep, she laid her head down and fell asleep as well.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

At the crack of dawn the Draconians woke up. Re felt better, the pain had subsided for the moment. Chris and Serenity packed up food and supplies.

"I've sent a Hermes Dragon to Vitamin," Serenity said. "He's ready for you."

"Thank you," Re said. Aurora turned to Windwalker.

"I can use a hurricane portal to get you all back to your squadron," she said. "But you'll have to get to Draconia by yourselves."

"All right, thank you," Windwalker said. Serenity strapped her supplies to Tenor's saddle.

"The sea stack where we unlocked Tenor titan wing," Aurora said. "We can all go our separate ways from there." Serenity closed the doors to the house and padlocked it. She also made sure the door to the room in the tree was locked. Chris saw that she had tears in her eyes.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just have an emotional attachment to this place," Serenity said. "I alway know when I've stayed in a location for too long when I get too attached to leave."

"You don't have to come," Chris said.

"No, I want to get out of here," Serenity said. "The sky calls." She smiled and put the padlock key in her saddle bag. When everything was packed up, Serenity put her medical bag on the back of the saddle, and followed them down to the plaza.

When they got there, the riders and their dragons were waiting for them. They were the only ones awake, the rest of the village was sound asleep.

"Sure was nice for you all to stop by," Hiccup said. "And giving us a hand."

"It's what good neighbors do," said Aurora.

"I hope we see you again," said Astrid.

"That is certain," Tenor said. "Things are changing for us."

"We'll see if we can visit you guys sometime," Hiccup said.

"And we look forward to it," Re said. Chris mounted Windwalker. Serenity turned to Tenor, took her hat off the saddle, then mounted up. Tenor snorted excitedly and pawed the ground.

"You really do look good on that dragon," Eret said. Serenity smiled and patted Tenor on the neck. Re and Aurora spread their wings and took off, Re struggled a bit. Then the two black dragons followed them.

They headed back to the sea stack and landed on it. Aurora activated her titan wing. She summoned clouds from the sky. She spun them into a hurricane shape, and opened the eye as wide as she could make it. It showed a mountain range covered with trees and snow. Tiny black specks flew around the skies. Chris turned to his parents.

"It's great to see you both again," he said. He hugged his mom first, then his dad.

"We're both so happy that you're alive," said Aurora. "And very happy to see you again."

"I'll be home in a few days," Chris said.

"Take care of yourself," Re said. Chris hugged him one more time, then got back on Windwalker.

"Don't worry your majesties," Windwalker said. "I've kept him alive this long, I can get him back to you in one piece." Re and Aurora nodded. The two nightly dragons spread their wings and lifted off the ground. Windwalker and Chris flew through the portal first, followed by Tenor and Serenity. Once they flew through the portal closed. Aurora summoned more clouds and made another hurricane portal, and opened it to the Draconian castle. She looked at Re.

"You first," she said. Re spread his wings and flew through the portal and Aurora followed, closing it behind her.

Windwalker and Tenor glided over the forest, their riders on their back. The sun was shining between the clouds. Snow was piled on all the mountains and trees. The two dragons carried their riders over the mountains and spotted a large basin surrounded by a ring of tall mountains. There was little snow in there, and a small lake at the very bottom. Dragons were very where. They flew over the lake or nested around it's stony shores. There were at least three hundred of them. Windwalker let out a loud roar to announce their return. The squadron of dragons looked up as she and Tenor landed on the shores of the lake, and were soon surrounded by the squadron. They were all excited, some looked irritated, but most looked relieved.

"Windwalker, you're back," said a yellow Hackatoo. "We were getting worried about you."

"I'm sorry we were gone so long," Windwalker said. "Chris had a lot of catching up to do with his family." Chris dismounted, and Serenity followed suit.

"So you found your family then?" asked a grey Woolly Howl, with a big scar on his face.

"I did," Chris said. "They were pretty relieved when they found out I hadn't drowned."

"Well, we're glad you found them," said the Hackatoo. Then a red Grapple Grounder noticed Serenity and Tenor.

"You brought friends," she said. Chris smiled and held his hand out to Serenity, who took it.

"Yes, this is Serenity," Chris said. "She rides my uncle Tenor." The dragons murmured amongst themselves.

"Hello everyone," Serenity said shyly.

"So this is the human girl you were always talking about," said the Hackatoo.

"She is pretty," said a Snafflefang with a burn on his flank.

"Hello everyone," Serenity said. The dragons looked pleased when she spoke in their tongue.

"Nice to finally meet you Serenity," said Hackatoo. "I'm Tiir, Windwalker's second in command. We've heard so much about you." She lowered her head and Serenity gently stroked her snout. Tiir stepped back. The other dragons all exchanged a glance. Serenity could tell that they were nervous. She looked at Chris.

"They don't trust me," she said.

"It's okay," Chris said, only low enough for her to hear. "They didn't trust me either at first. They'll warm up to you in time." Serenity looked over at Tenor, who was sitting on his haunches quietly. He looked back at his rider and gave her a small smile. This drew the attention of the squadron.

"You're the mysterious Tenor," said the Grapple Grounder. "You are very strange looking." Tenor swallowed and pawed the ground nervously.

"That I am," he said. He pinned his ears way back. Windwalker saw him glance at the shadows under the big trees. She went over and stood beside him. He relaxed a bit.

"You're okay," Windwalker said. "Don't run." Tenor took a deep breath. "Why don't you tell them a little about yourself." Tenor looked at the crowd of dragons.

"I know I look kind of funny," he said. "But there's nothing I can do about it." He closed his eyes and pinned his ears back again.

"That's okay Tenor," said Tiir. "Though we are curious as to what kind of dragon you are." Tenor opened one eye, then the other. All the dragons were looking at him, but they looked more curious than anything else. Tenor opened his mouth but no words came out.

"H-h-hybrid," he finally stuttered. "Night Fury, Blackfang hybrid."

"Wow," said the Grapple Grounder. "Never heard of a Night Fury hybrid."

"I'm the only one," Tenor said sadly. "I got bullied all my life because of it."

"Oh, well we've seen too much tragedy to make fun of anyone, especially one of our own kind," Tiir said. "So you're okay." Tenor sighed and relaxed. Windwalker decided to change the subject.

"Tiir, please bring everyone to the tall rock," she said. "I have a few announcements." Tiir nodded and took off. She let out loud barks that all the dragons could hear. Serenity looked at her dragon. Tenor seemed to be focused on calming himself down. She stroked his neck.

"You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," Tenor said. "It's all very new. I wasn't expecting these dragons to be so nice to me."

"I'm sure you'll feel better in a day or so," Serenity said. Tenor nuzzled her shoulder. Then he noticed that she looked rather sad.

"Why are you so sad?" he asked.

"I'm okay," Serenity said. "I guess it's all very new for me as well." Tenor narrowed his eyes, but said nothing. They followed the others to a tall rock overlooking the lake. Windwalker was perched on top of it. The squadron gathered at the base of it perched on smaller rocks and tree branches. Chris sat on a large log and motioned for Serenity to sit next to him, and she did. Tenor laid beside the log. They all looked up at Windwalker.

"Everyone, I have a few announcements to make," she said loud and clear. "First, you have all see new visitors among us. Chris's parents, the Draconian king and queen have offered us an opportunity to come and live in the homeland. The king want to give us a volcanic island just north of the Draconian mainland. It'll give us a chance to recuperate in safety. As for my other announcement, Tenor will you come up here please." Everyone looked at Tenor, and Serenity patted his neck. Tenor got to his feet, spread his wings, and flew up to the top of the rock. He stood beside Windwalker.

"This is Tenor," she said. "He's the Dragon King's brother, Chris's uncle, and the dragon I've chosen to be my mate." This started another murmur among the squadron. They sounded excited.

"Does that mean he gets my position as second in command?" asked Tiir.

"No," Windwalker said. "But he is going to be in charge of getting us all to Draconia. So I expect you all to show him the same respect you show me. And if any of you are injured or sick, go to his rider Serenity. She's a dragon healer and she can speak to us like Chris can, so you can trust her. Thank you, you're all dismissed. We'll leave for Draconia tomorrow evening." She glided down from the rock and Tenor followed. They rejoined their riders.

"So what's there to hunt around here?" Tenor asked.

"Unfortunately not much," Windwalker said. "Rabbits and squirrels mostly. It's risky to hunt outside the basin. There's lots of human villages around here, and they don't take too kindly to us. We've taken turns going out for bigger game." Tenor nuzzled Serenity's shoulder and she petted him.

"I should get camp set up," she said. She got to her feet and pulled her camping gear off Tenor's saddle.

Chris helped her set up her tent and set up a fire pit. When it was all set up, they unsaddled their dragons. Many of the dragons asked Tenor what Draconia was like. He spent most of the day answering their questions. He cheered up a bit when he was absolutely sure he wasn't going to be bullied for his appearance. Windwalker was pleased to see him getting along with her squadron. But she couldn't help but notice that he seemed a touch sad, and whenever he wasn't talking to his fellow dragons he stayed very close to his rider. Chris noticed this too. Serenity stayed by Tenor's side.

Chris and Windwalker went for a short flight around the basin. Windwalker kept her sharp eyes on her squadron. The sun was nearing it's noon position. When they flew three laps around the rim of the basin, they landed on a small hill right on the shore of the lake. Chris dismounted and glanced down at the little campsite a short ways away.

"I wonder why they're so sad," Windwalker said. "They try to hide it."

"They must be homesick," Chris said.

"Maybe," said Windwalker. "Have you told Serenity how you feel about her?" Chris looked at the ground.

"No," he admitted.

"Well you should," Windwalker said. "It might cheer her up. She has a right to know."

"Alright, I'll tell her tonight," Chris said. "It'll be just me and her."

"I want to teach Tenor a few of my battle tricks," Windwalker said. "Since he's part Night Fury."

"He'll enjoy it I'm sure," Chris said. Then he sighed. "Oh, I can't wait to be home at last."

"I'm looking forward to seeing Draconia as well," Windwalker said. "All of us are." Chris looked back down at the campsite. Serenity seemed to be cooking over the fire, Tenor beside her.

"They seem very close," Chris said.

"Of course they do, they've been traveling together for years," Windwalker said. "Just like we have." Chris nodded in agreement.

They flew one more lap then returned to the campsite. Serenity was stirring a pot of stew. The aroma filled the air, smelling like fish.

"What are you making?" Chris asked.

"Trout stew," Serenity said. "I had a few trout left over in my saddlebags. It's not much, I only had a few ingredients."

"That's okay, it smells good," Chris said. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Serenity smiled warmly.

"I used to cook meals for Hiccup and his riders," she said. "Their dragons rarely got hurt or sick, so it was the only other way I could make myself useful."

"Well, vikings are always hungry, so I've heard," Chris said. Serenity smiled. Chris sat beside her.

"How's it coming?" he asked.

"It's almost ready," Serenity said. She stopped stirring and put a lid on top of the pot. "That needs to thicken for a few minuets." Chris carefully took her hand in his.

"Do you like it here?" he asked.

"Yes, it's beautiful," Serenity said. "Those mountains must keep most of the wind off you."

"They do, that's why we took refuge here," Chris said. "I wish you could have seen our mountain though. It was hallowed out, made a perfect fortress."

"Like a volcano?" Serenity asked.

"Sort of, except it didn't have the characteristics of a volcano, no dried lava in the area," Chris said. "I'd say more like a beehive."

"Maybe it was a volcano in another life," Serenity said. "Re said there are thousands of mountains that were active volcanos billions of years ago, before the time of the dinosaurs, but went extinct. Nature turned them into normal mountains."

"Maybe," Chris said. "But it's gone now, so we'll never know." Serenity gave his hand a soft squeeze.

"I'm so sorry," she said. Chris patted her hand gratefully.

"I do remember Dad having an interest in volcanos," he said. "He spent a lot of his free time looking at charts that showed the inside of volcanos, and different kinds of lava flows."

"He still does," Serenity said. "Though now a days he studies live volcanos, since he now has three active ones on his hands."

"Mom still collects rare antiques?" Chris asked.

"Yup," said Serenity. "She hasn't collected anything for a while though. However, she thinks she knows were the stone that King Arthur pulled his sword out of is. She hopes to find it, and put it on display."

"Really?" Chris said. "How does she know which stone is the right one?"

"A few archeologist dragons have studied it," said Serenity. "Aurora looked over their research herself, and compared it with her own notes."

"It'll be exciting if they do find it," Chis said.

"Yeah," Serenity said. Just then the lid on the pot rattled. Serenity lifted it and set it aside. The stew was ready.

After lunch, Serenity and Chris went for a walk around the lake. Their dragons followed them. Tenor kept kicking a small pebble. Windwalker saw that he still wasn't happy. She stopped abruptly.

"Okay Tenor, what's wrong?" she asked. "You've had that expression on your face ever since we got here." Tenor sighed.

"I know I should be happy," he said. "I've got what I always wanted. But when we get home, and we sing our mating song, will I have to say good bye to Serenity?" Windwalker looked after their riders.

"Maybe for a little while," she said. "But it's not like you'll never see her again. You're still family. I'm not expecting you to make a choice between me or her. Serenity and Chris are destined to be mates, and so are we. I can get used to having Serenity around, and I assume you're already used to having Chris around."

"I got more used to him when he was passed the ear pulling stage," Tenor said. He shook his head. "It was fun being in the training arena with him back home. Even when I took it easy on him, he still couldn't beat me."

"He can beat you now," Windwalker said. Tenor snorted.

"I'm still Draconia's best soldier," he said. "I've never been captured by humans. If I'd been there to help Re fight those enemies he would never have gotten as messed up as he did."

"I saw you out there," Windwalker said. "And I can totally believe that, but you shouldn't be so hard on yourself. Re made out fine, Serenity cured him."

"She's the only human in the world who doesn't fight," Tenor said.

"I'm sure there are others," Windwalker said.

"Every human I've met has had a weapon on them," Tenor said.

"You haven't met every human in the world though," Windwalker pointed out.

"True," Tenor said. "Aurora says the humans are going to change a great deal in the future. But they'll always be a violent species. Aurora can see wars being fought, families killing each other, humans will destroy whole animal species. Many dragons think that the human race will be the death of this planet."

"Can she see any good things coming from humans?" Windwalker asked.

"Oh sure," Tenor said. "She can see many cool things coming from them. They'll be building their own flying machines that can carry them long distances, ships made of iron and steel, and these horseless carriages called automobiles."

"They won't need dragons anymore?" Windwalker asked.

"And dragons won't need them," Tenor said. "Honestly, I can live with that. Chris and Serenity are the only humans I care about, them and the Berkians." He looked at the two humans. Chris was introducing Serenity to a few of his dragon friends. Tenor beamed.

"Looks like these dragons are finally warming up to her," he said.

"Yeah, she's such a nice person," Windwalker said.

"She is that," Tenor said. "But she does have a few flaws. She thinks every dragon is going to love her on sight, she doesn't see hostile dragons as a threat and won't kill her on sight."

"I can see that being a problem," Windwalker said. "She trusts us a little too much?"

"And doesn't trust humans enough," Tenor said. "It's a bit sad, but now that Chris is back in her life, she finally has a human she knows she can trust."

"Can't really blame after all the trouble humans have caused her," Windwalker said.

"Agreed," Tenor said. He opened his mouth to say more but was interrupted by a loud roar. Before he could see what it was, he was knocked off his feet by a powerful force. He hit the ground hard, and was pinned down by something. He looked up to see a red titan wing Monstrous Nightmare perched on top of him.

"Nice to see you again Prime Minister sir," he said.

"Nice to see you too, Pyro," Tenor grunted.

"How are those dragon rider friends of yours?" Pyro asked.

"They're good," Tenor said. "They have a new alpha now."

"Who is it?" Pyro asked. "It better not be that rookie I fought last time." He growled.

"No, it's the male Night Fury," Tenor said, squirming a bit.

"Huh, I guess Lord Draco has chosen Night Furies has his new alphas," Pyro said.

"It's possible," Tenor agreed. "Because as you know, no one messes with, a, Night, Fury." On the last word he unlocked his titan wing and was able to shove the bigger dragon off. Once he was free, he took to the air. His glowing red scales filled the clearing with a faint light. Pyro looked up at him.

"Very impressive sir," he said. He took off and flew right at Tenor. He turned and flew off. Pyro chased him. They flew all over the basin, Tenor staying just out of Pyro's firing range. Then Pyro vanished suddenly. Tenor turned around to see where he'd gone, but seeing nothing. He looked down at the thick grove of trees bellow, not seeing a single smoke trail. But Tenor suspected that's where the other dragon had gone. Tenor smirked, and decided to play his surrender card. He flew off and headed back to the other side of the lake, keeping all his senses on high alert. He flew down intending to land on the water's surface, when a Shivertooth launched out of the water and snapped his jaws at Tenor. The two dragons collided in the air, the Shivertooth slashing at Tenor's hyde. Tenor slashed his own claws, but the Shivertooth managed to slash shallow cuts in Tenor's wing arm and his flank. Tenor flew off and fired a plasma blast at the other dragon, knocking him back into the water. Ignoring the pain he went back to looking for Pyro. He had no idea why the squadron was attacking him, he hopped it wasn't because they lied about not going to make fun of him. If that was the case, Tenor felt so alone. He circled the lake wondering what to do. He was about to head back and find Windwalker, when he was suddenly rammed out of the air by what felt like a boulder. He hit the ground, winded. He sat up in time to see a titan wing Gronckle barreling told him. He jumped to he feet and fired a plasma blast at her. The Gronckle stopped abruptly and Tenor was able to run off.

He looked around for Windwalker, but couldn't find her. The sun was starting to set. Tenor trotted back to Serenity's campsite where he found his rider sitting alone beside the fire. Tenor sat next to her.

"Where's Chris and Windwalker?" he asked.

"They went for a flight," Serenity said. "Windwalker wants to check on her friends before the long flight. They wanted me too come, but I told them I had to wait for you to get back from hanging out with Pyro."

"You recognized him huh?" Tenor asked.

"Yup," Serenity said. Then she noticed the troubled look on Tenor's face and the cuts on his wing and flank. "Are you okay, what happened?"

"I'm fine, Pyro accidentally grazed me with his claws," Tenor lied, not wanting Serenity to panic. "Nothing to worry about." He sat beside his rider and placed his head in her lap. She smiled at him and scratched him behind his sonar flaps. Tenor felt better with her there. He hoped the squadron wouldn't target her as well. Scare for her now, he scooted closer to her.

"So, how have these dragon been treating you?" he asked.

"They're very nice," Serenity said. "They have a lot of interest in my skills. And they're pretty confident that you'll be a very good mate for their alpha."

"Oh, good," Tenor said. He nibbled her free hand and she stroked his muzzle. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Serenity said. "This basin feels very safe." Tenor said nothing and closed his eyes lazily and purred. "We can go find Chris and Windwalker if you want." Tenor sighed.

"All right," he said. He got to his feet and Serenity mounted him bareback. They took off, Tenor prayed to Draco that no one would attack him now.

They flew around the basin. Tenor slowly disappeared in the fading light. There was no sign of Chris or Windwalker.

"They must have landed already," Serenity said. Tenor landed on a hill. "They'll be back I'm sure." Serenity patted his neck. She dismounted and stood beside Tenor, still stroking him. He lowered his head to her level and she petted his forehead.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked him. "I haven't seen you so quiet since were living on Dragon's Edge. You're usually saying funny things and prancing around. You miss fighting bad guys?" Tenor smiled. He turned so he was facing her.

"No, just a bit homesick," he said. "But you make me feel better, more than killing bad guys." Serenity hugged him and he put a warm wing around her, but unfortunately it was his injured wing. He hissed and stepped back. Serenity grabbed his wing and looked at the scratches. They were bleeding.

"I've seen worse," she said. "Though, I must admit these scratches are too narrow for a Monstrous Nightmare."

"Yes Fishlegs," Tenor said jokingly. Serenity laughed and kissed his snout.

"That's more like it," she said. Tenor purred.

"You think I'll live?" he asked.

"Oh yeah," Serenity said. "You're not as strong as Re because you're younger, but you are strong enough that you'll be ready to fly home by tomorrow." Tenor beamed and nibbled her hand. She stroked his snout, and he lowered her head to let her continue.

Chris and Windwalker looked up the hill at Serenity and Tenor, both silhouetted against the last of the daylight.

"Have you found out why they've looked so worried?" Chris asked.

"Tenor was worried that since he found a mate, he would have to say good by to Serenity," Windwalker said. "But I assured him he wouldn't have to. I know she means a lot to him. Anyway, it's dark now."

"Yes," Chris said. "I just hope I don't screw it up." The two of them went up the hill. Serenity and Tenor looked up when they came.

"Hey Serenity, can I have a word?" Chris asked. Both Serenity and Tenor exchanged a glance.

"And I'd like to show you some fighting moves I know," Windwalker said to Tenor. "Don't worry, you're not being separated forever. We're all staying within the basin." Tenor took a deep breath and turned to his rider.

"You going to be okay?" he asked.

"Yes," Serenity said. "I'll see you a bit." Tenor turned and followed Windwalker down the hill. Chris approached Serenity.

"You two seem closer than a two headed Zippleback," he said.

"We've been traveling together for years, as two lonely hearts," Serenity said. "It's hard to not grow so close when the only source of comfort you have is each other." Chris took her hand in his.

"Trust me I know," he said. "I feel the same way about Windwalker. There were times when I would miss home so bad I didn't want to get up in the morning, or eat anything. She would always be sitting there next to me. I know you're nervous about Tenor finding a mate, but I can assure you no one's being separated. I mean you still see Ruby a lot and he has a mate."

"I do," Serenity said. "He doesn't live in the castle anymore though, he lives in the town he hatched in." She sniffed. Chris pulled her into his arms and she hugged him back.

"It's okay, Tenor and Windwalker aren't going anywhere," Chris said. "They love us too much." Serenity took a few deep breaths and calmed down.

"Thank you Chris," she said. "I missed you so much." Chris held her tighter.

"I missed you too," he said. "I'll never leave you again, I promise." Serenity stepped back so she could look him in the eye. He gently put a hand on her face.

"You okay now?" he asked.

"Yes," Serenity said. Chris smiled.

"Are you happy for Tenor?" he asked.

"Yes I am," Serenity said. "It was pretty hard to see him so sad, and feeling he had to hide from the world. Yes I'm happy he found what he was looking for." Chris wiped her tears away with his thumb. Then he took a deep breath.

"Serenity," he said, his voice was quiet and firm. "There's something I've wanted to tell you ever since I saw you again." Serenity waited, her heart thumping with excitement. "Serenity, I love you." Serenity's eyes went wide, and very soft.

"Oh, Chris," she said, tears in her eyes again. "I love you too." She threw her arms around him again. He hugged her back. But then he drew back a bit, and took her face in his hands. He very gently pressed his lips to hers. Serenity felt as though her heart burst with love and happiness, and for the moment she forgot about her worries about Tenor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, making the kiss last a bit longer.

They pulled apart when they need to breathe. Chris stared into her beautiful green eyes, the worry gone from them. She was genially happy, and it made him happy. He held her hand again.

"Are you hungry?" Serenity asked, breaking the silence.

"No, I'm okay," Chris said. "What about you?"

"I've got some food in my saddlebags for the journey home," Serenity said. "I'll be okay."

"Home," Chris repeated dreamily. Serenity smiled and squeezed his hand.

"I miss it too," she said. "We should get some rest. My campsite is not far." Still hand in hand, they headed down the hill, around the lake, and to Serenity's campsite. Their dragons weren't there, Chris suspected they were still out flying. They crawled into the tent and went to sleep.

Elsewhere in the basin Windwalker showed Tenor a few of her battle moves, both on land and in the air. One of these tricks was being able to dive bomb an opponent without making the loud whistling noise. It took Tenor a few tries, but he soon picked it up. He enjoyed himself, and wasn't attacked again by anymore dragons. But he still wondered why they had attacked him. He decided to ask. He landed beside Windwalker and folded his wings.

"That was very good," she said.

"Thanks," Tenor said. "Um, did you know that some of the dragons in here attacked me earlier today?"

"Oh yeah, it's something they do to every new comer," Windwalker said. "They want to see how well you do in battle, to see if you have what it takes to be apart of the squadron, they did it to Chris when he first came. Trust me when I say I didn't ask them to do that." Tenor snorted angrily and pawed the ground. "Please don't be mad Tenor, it has nothing with your appearance. They're not trying to chase you away." She nuzzled his cheek. Tenor calmed down and nuzzled her back.

"They won't attack Serenity will they?" he asked, worried again. "She has no way of defending herself."

"I don't think so," Windwalker said. "They saw no weapons on her. But if they do, Chris will make sure she's not hurt." Tenor's eyes went wide with worry. He glanced in the direction of Serenity's campsite. "She's safe for now though." Tenor sighed and relaxed a bit.

"I should turn in anyway, long flight ahead," he said.

"Right," Windwalker said. "I should too." So they took off and headed for the campsite.

When they got there, they laid down beside each other. Tenor glanced up at the night sky. Draco's stars twinkled back at him. He felt safer with those stars watching him, and felt that Serenity was safer too. Windwalker followed his gaze.

"I wonder what it's like up there," she said.

"Ruby would know," Tenor said. "He's been there. Aurora says that Draco watches us from his glass palace, through the vast ocean of water that surrounds it. His soldiers live there, along with all the Hermes Dragons."

"The rest of our squadron is up there, along with my parents," Windwalker said.

"I don't have anyone up there, that I know of," Tenor said. "You're friends and family may have died, but you have the luxury of knowing where they are. I don't." Windwalker leaned on him, and he put a wing around her. They yawned and soon drifted off to sleep.

Serenity woke up at daybreak the next morning. She was the first one up. She left the tent, letting Chris sleep. She picked up a small bucket and carried it over to the lake to get water. The dawn light reflected on the lake's smooth surface. She was just filling her bucket, when suddenly a grey Shivertooth launched out of the water and lunged at her. Serenity screamed and jumped out of the way, dropping bucket. The dragon lunged at her again, snapping his jaws. Serenity jumped out of the way again. The Shivertooth swiped his tail at her, hitting her hard in the stomach knocking her into the mud. She hit the ground severely winded and shaking badly. She looked up to see the Shivertooth ready to pounce. He jumped at her, but was slammed out of the air by something black. More dragons came and circled Serenity, gnashing their teeth. The yellow Hackatoo, Tiir, was among them. Serenity curled into a tight ball, shaking more violently. Tiir pounced and pinned Serenity down with her talons. Serenity went limp and didn't move, something she learned from Tenor. She stayed in her tight ball. She suddenly felt Tiir being rammed off her. She opened one eye a bit and saw Tenor wresting Tiir away from her. Tenor eventually managed to pin Tiir down. He snarled and popped out his black teeth. He was just about to bite her neck.

"NO!" Windwalker cried. "Please done kill her Tenor." Tenor lifted his head to look at her.

"She was about to kill Serenity," he said.

"No I wasn't," Tiir said. "We wanted to see if she's as good a fighter as Chris is. We were testing you too, but we were never going to kill anyone." Tenor didn't move. Chris knelt beside Serenity, who hadn't moved either. He placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay Serenity?" he asked.

"Are they gone?" Serenity asked, her voice shaking badly.

"No, they're still here," Chris said. "But they're not going to attack you again, you're safe." Serenity opened up a bit, but was hugging her middle tightly. Windwalker approached them.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"My stomach hurts," Serenity said. "But it doesn't feel serious. I haven't been hit so hard since..." She didn't finish.

"Can you get up?" Chris asked. Serenity sat up still hugging herself.

"I don't know what's going on," she said. "First Cloudjumper yanks me out of the saddle, then these dragons try and kill me. A few years ago the dragons and I got on so well." She wiped the tears from her eyes. The Shivertooth approached her and she drew back scared.

"I won't hurt you," he said. "I'm really sorry."

"We're all sorry Serenity," Tiir said, still pinned under Tenor's claws. "We still want to be your friends."

"How come you didn't fight back?" the Shivertooth asked.

"She doesn't fight," Windwalker said. "She's a healer. She has no way to defend herself, you could have really hurt her bad or even killed her."

"You can attack me all you want," Tenor said. "But leave her alone."

"Can I get up Tenor?" Tiir asked. Tenor looked at her.

"Fine, I just want to make one thing clear," he said. "Anyone you messes with my or anyone I care about does so at their own risk. I am very dangerous and I have killed dragons before, I can easily become you're worse nightmare." With that he jumped to the ground. Tiir got up.

"I'd say any dragon who kills to protect the ones he cares about is more than worth of our alpha," she said. The other dragons murmured in agreement.

"Did you think I wasn't good enough?" asked Tenor, looking down at himself.

"No," Tiir admitted. "But not because you're a hybrid, because Windwalker has suffered heartbreak before."

"It's true," Windwalker said. "So, it has nothing to do with the way you look." Tenor looked at his rider who seemed to be recovering.

"You think you can fly home with us?" he asked. "We're leaving tonight."

"I think so," Serenity said. She lifted her shirt off her stomach, revealing a huge purple bruise and shallow cuts that were bleeding. The Shivertooth looked guilty.

"Oh, my goodness," Tenor said.

"I'm sorry Serenity," the Shivertooth said. "Can you forgive me?"

"Yes," Serenity said. "I don't hold grudges. What's your name?"

"Croc," the Shivertooth said. "What do you say we get out of this mud and eat something." He turned and picked up the bucket Serenity handed dropped and set it down beside her. Both Tenor and Chris helped Serenity to her feet. She was shaking still. She winced at the pain in her middle. She leaned on her dragon.

"I should treat this," she said. "Then I'll make breakfast." She picked up the bucket and limped off. Chris, Windwalker, and Tenor followed her back to the campsite. The others went hunting, gathering strength and energy for their long flight.

Serenity sat in her chair and pulled her medical bag over to her. She pulled out a rag and her jar of Night Fury saliva. She soaked the rag in the saliva and dabbed at the big bruise on her abdomen.

"That's better," she said.

"Chris said you were beaten with a shovel," Windwalker said.

"Yeah," Serenity said. "I'm pretty used to it."

"I remember seeing you for the first time," Chris said. "With all those injuries."

"This one's not as bad as those," Serenity said. "Luckily. Anyway I should get breakfast started." She got to her feet and tied the soaked rag around her abdomen, right on top of the bruise. She picked up the bucket and returned to the lake.

"She may not be a fighter," Windwalker said when Serenity was out of ear shot. "But I can sense a strength in her."

"Yeah, she's adventurous," Tenor said. "She has no problem sleeping in the dirt, next to a fire breathing dragon."

"Did you see her injuries?" Windwalker asked.

"I saw her when Ruby first brought her in," Tenor said. "It was not a pretty sight. She was covered in so much dirt you couldn't see a speck of skin. She was also skin and bones, not a full skeleton but thin enough to see the bones in her arms and legs. I was amazed that she was still alive. If Ruby hadn't found her, she would have died by the end of the week."

"You guys were her only hope," Windwalker said. Serenity came back with the water. She looked happier. She poured some of the water into the pot and let it sit. She then looked through her saddle bags for food.

"I haven't got much left," she said. "Just apples and a few spices, the rest of my supplies I'm saving for the long flight." She pulled out several golden apples and started chopping them up.

"How long of a flight is it?" Windwalker asked.

"It's about two days flight, non stop," Tenor said.

"Non stop?" said Windwalker. "There are some dragons here who can't fly long distances."

"Good things come to those who work hard," Tenor said. "If they want to get home, they're going to have to push themselves a bit. We'll get food on the way."

"Once, we should stop to rest at least once," Windwalker said. Tenor sighed.

"All right," Tenor said. "I have the skill of blocking out all complaining. So it won't work on me."

"Don't be too harsh," Chris said. "And what if someone gets lost?"

"I have a way around that," Tenor said. "But dragons almost never get lost when looking for Draconia. Tonight we head for home." He stretched his wings, wincing when he felt pain in his injured wing. Serenity put hundreds of apple chunks into the pot along with cinnamon and nutmeg. She put the lid on the pot and let it sit. She sat back down next to Chris and checked her injury. She took the rag off and put it away.

"Feel better?" Chris asked.

"Much," Serenity said. "I've had many injuries before, but this is the first time I'v been injured by dragons."

"They put me through that test too," Chris said. "Every new comer goes through it."

"What happened if they failed?" Serenity asked. "Would they have to leave?"

"No, we just didn't let them come into battle with us until they did have what it took," Windwalker said.

"Oh," Serenity said. Then she changed the subject. "So have you two come up with your mating song yet?" Both Tenor and Windwalker exchanged a glance.

"No, we completely forgot about that," Tenor said. "But I know a few love songs that might work."

"Those ones are kind of sad though," Serenity said. "You should come up with a whole new one, that talks about the troubles you both faced and the bright future you have now."

"Well, we have a two day flight to think it over," Tenor said.

"I should pack up all this," said Serenity, looking at her campsite. "If we're not staying here another night."

So she and Chris took down the tent and sleeping gear, and folded it up. Serenity attached it all to her saddle. Tenor watched, but his mind was elsewhere. He was already brainstorming for a mating song. He tapped his talon on the ground creating a beat. Windwalker watched, also brainstorming. She hoped after hearing a few more songs, one would come to her. Tenor turned to her.

"You think your friends can make a two day flight with little rest?" he asked.

"I think so," Windwalker said. "They're very strong. They can make it."

"In that case, we head out at sundown," Tenor said. He stretched his wings.

"So what do you do for free time in Draconia?" Windwalker asked.

"Just plane old stargazing," Tenor said. "There's always something new to see in the night sky."

"That's all?" Windwalker asked. "Stargazing and hunting."

"And traveling with Serenity," Tenor said. "She's such a joy to travel with, you'll see just how much."

"Is she going to sing all the way home?" Windwalker asked.

"Yup," Tenor said.

"Will you sing as well?" asked Windwalker, a bit quieter.

"Oh yeah," Tenor said. "They don't call me Tenor for nothing." Windwalker nuzzled his neck and he purred. Tenor wrapped his tail around hers.

"I wonder if Serenity wouldn't mind riding different dragons for a part of the flight," Windwalker said. "I'm guessing she's having trouble trusting them after they almost killed her, and they'll want to make it up to her."

"You would have to ask her," Tenor said. "I'm sure she' warm up to your friends pretty quick as long as they don't attack her again."

"They won't," Windwalker said. "They now know she can't defend of herself."

"You don't look down on her for that do you?" Tenor asked. "Most of those vikings do."

"Certainly not," Windwalker said. "After seeing what she did for Re, that takes a lot of patience and skill."

"She is amazing," Tenor said. He smiled at his rider, who was in a conversation with Chris. "I haven't seen her this happy in the longest time."

"Nor me Chris," Windwalker said. "He always looked sad whenever we weren't in battle. I knew he was homesick but we had no time to look for you guys. And now that he finally gets to go home and be with his family, and as he puts it, marry his best friend."

"Whenever things got quiet, Serenity would always look sad," Tenor said. "She would always fiddle with that dragon scale locket. She never told any of the riders about Chris, she only told one or two people. She would look at Hiccup and Astrid with a look of longing on her face. We dragons were the only things that brought her relief. But Chris is alive and she with him now. It's so nice to see her happy again, and hanging out with a human she can trust." Windwalker smiled and nuzzled his neck. Tenor gave a relaxed sigh.

Later in the afternoon Tenor and Serenity took a quiet ride, just the two of them while Chris got his stuff packed up. Tenor walked slowly around the lake to pass the time until they left. Tenor no longer felt threatened by the other dragons and walked in the shallow water. Serenity glanced around the basin. The place was pretty quiet except for the water and dragon wings. Tenor wandered a bit deeper into the water, so it was half way up his forelegs. The water felt good on his scales. Serenity sang softly. Suddenly the red Grapple Grounder, Croc, and Tiir landed in front of them. Tenor stopped and Serenity stopped singing.

"What are you two up to?" Tiir asked.

"Killing time," Tenor said. "There's still several hours until departure." Croc noticed Serenity glancing nervously at each dragon, then glancing down at the saddle.

"It's okay Serenity," he said. "We're not going to hurt you again."

"We never wanted to hurt you," Tiir said. "You're too important to Chris." She walked a bit closer. Serenity wasn't able to back up since she was mounted on Tenor's back, but she leaned back in the saddle.

"You're okay," Tiir said gently. She stretched her neck so her snout was within arms just an arm's length away. Serenity was reminded of when Hiccup would approach a wild dragon intending to train it. Tenor didn't move except for casually swinging his tail back and forth. Serenity sighed and finally stroked the yellow dragon's snout. Tiir purred and leaned into Serenity's hand. She stepped away and Croc repeated the process, followed by the red Grapple Grounder.

"I don't think I've learned your name," Serenity said.

"Anole," the Grounder said.

"That's a little green lizard," Serenity said. "I've seen pictures of them, males have a red flap under their chin."

"Yep," Anole said. He beamed. Croc looked at Tenor.

"Windwalker says you're a fine singer," he said.

"I am," Tenor said. "That's one of the reasons I'm called Tenor."

"Do you sing tenor?" asked Anole.

"Occasionally," Tenor said. "And I'm quite good at it. I also provide a great back up."

"Can you sing something now?" asked Tiir eagerly. Tenor scanned his mind for a song to sing. Finally picked one and started singing.

 _Horizon rising up to meet the purple dawn_

 _Dust demon, screaming, bring me an eagle to lead me on_

 _For in my heart I carry such a heavy load_

 _Here I am, on Man's Road_

 _Walking Man's Road_

The song was slow and smooth. Tenor's voice rang loud and clear. The other dragons listened and didn't say anything. Tenor sang another verse.

 _I'm hungry, weary, but I cannot lay me down_

 _The rain comes, dreary, but there's no shelter I have found_

 _It will be a long time till I find my abode_

 _Here I am, on Man's Road_

 _Walking man's Road_

Any dragons that were passing caught wind of Tenor's song and stopped to listen. Tenor paid them no mind and sang a third and final verse.

 _Moon rising, disguising lonely streets in gay displays_

 _The stars fade, the nightshade, closing makes the world afraid_

 _It waits in silence for the sky to explode_

 _Here I am, on Man's Road_

 _Walking man's Road._

The song ended and a still silence followed. Serenity stroked Tenor's neck. Tenor gave a small smile.

"Wow," Tiir gasped. "That was beautiful."

"You think that was good, wait 'til you hear her sing," Tenor said, gesturing to Serenity. "Puts angels to shame."

"I can see why Windwalker likes you," Croc said. "We haven't sung many songs around here."

"You're going to have to get used to it," Tenor said. "You're going to hear songs all across Draconia."

"Well if they can sing as well as you can, that will be no problem," Anole said. Tenor just shrugged.

"Can we walk with you?" asked Tiir.

"Sure," Tenor said. He continued walking around the lake. The sun slowly started to go down.

An hour later it started to get dark. Tenor glanced up at the sky, the first stars began to appear.

"The hour is at hand," he said. He and the other three dragons flew back to the campsite. When they got there Chris was saddling Windwalker, and strapped down all his gear. Serenity quickly saddled Tenor along with all her gear. Then she and Chris turned to look at each other. Serenity took his hand in hers.

"You ready to go home?" she asked quietly. Chris took a deep breath.

"I am," he said. Windwalker turned to Tiir.

"Please gather everyone at the rock," she said. Tiir nodded and took off.

The dragons all gathered at the base of the rock. They were talking excitedly about their new home. Windwalker and Tenor perched on top of the rock. A hush fell over the squadron. They all looked up at the two nightly dragons, silhouetted against the dying light.

"Tenor has a few things to say before we take off," Windwalker said. She looked at Tenor.

"Listen up because I'm only going to say this once," Tenor said. "Draconai is a hard two days flight. We'll be mostly flying over ocean so there won't be much opportunity to stop and rest. We catch food on the way. If we keep pushing forward and don't let up. By this time tomorrow, you'll all be home safe. Are you all willing to make this flight?" All the dragons let out a loud roar of agreement. Tenor beamed, then both he and Windwalker glided down to their riders. Chris and Serenity mounted them. The dragons spread their wings and took off. The air was filled with the sound of flapping wings and happy roars. They formed at least twenty separate formations. Tenor and Windwalker flew at the very front. Windwalker let Tenor lead since he knew the way. The constellation Draco was right in front of them, showing them all the way home.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The squadron flew high over the landscape. The dragons talked excitedly. The sun vanished completely and the stars appeared. Tenor lead them well above the cloud line so he could stay on course. They flew southwest, following Draco's stars. Before long the singing started. The air rang with songs. Tenor sang many of the songs he knew and it helped make the flight less boring. Serenity was waiting for her turn. Tenor noticed this.

"Well Serenity," he said. "How about you sing us something." Serenity considered. She scanned her brain for something to sing. Finally she found something.

"I've sung this one every night under the full moon," she said. "For the past ten years." She took a deep breath.

 _Every night in my dreams_

 _I see you, I feel you,_

 _That is how I know you go on_

 _Far across the distance_

 _And spaces between us_

 _You have come to show you go on_

The song reached the ear of every dragon in the squadron. No one spoke, and just listened to her sing. She sang a bit louder.

 _Near, far, wherever you are_

 _I believe that the heart does go on_

 _Once more you open the door_

 _And you're here in my heart_

 _And my heart will go on and on_

 _Love can touch us one time_

 _And last for a lifetime_

 _And never let go 'til we're gone_

Her voice got louder with each verse. Everyone knew what her song was referring to. Chris found that he didn't want the song to end. Serenity sang further.

 _Love was when I loved you_

 _One true time I hold to_

 _In my life we'll always go on_

 _Near, far, wherever you are_

 _I believe that the heart does go on_

 _Once more you open the door_

 _And you're here in my heart_

 _And my heart will go on and on_

Serenity sang the last verse as loud and as strongly as she could, clutching her dragon scale locket.

 _You're here, there's nothing I fear,_

 _And I know that my heart will go on_

 _We'll stay forever this way_

 _You are safe in my heart_

 _And my heart will go on and on._

She finished the song, and everyone was dead silent. Serenity waited to hear everyone's opinion, stroking Tenor's neck.

"Wow, that was amazing," Chris said. "You sang that every full moon, for me?" Serenity smiled at him.

"Yes," she said. "I thought you could hear it. I remembered the night before you left. It was the full moon that night too. The full moon always reminded me of that night." Chris smiled at her.

"Can you sing another one?" asked a dragon from behind. "Please." Serenity looked at them over her shoulder. She sighed.

"All right," she said. She pulled her guitar out, and put it against her chest. She plucked a few strings. "This one's for you Tenor." Tenor smiled. Serenity started playing her guitar, and sang a second song.

 _If you'll be my star, I'll be your sky, You can hide underneath me and come out at night, when I turn jet black and you show off your light, I live to let you shine, I live to let you shine. But you can sky rocket away, from me, and never come back if you, find another galaxy far from here, with more room to fly, just leave me your stardust to remember you by._

Serenity played a few instrumental notes on her guitar before continuing.

 _If you'll be my boat, I'll be your sea, the depths of pure blue probe curiosity, ebbing and flowing and pushed by a breeze. I live to set you free, I live to set you free. But You can set sail to the west if you want to, and passed the horizon til I can't even see you, far from here, where the beaches are white. Just leave me your wake to remember you by._

She played a few more instrumental notes before singing the final line.

Stardust to remember you by.

She plucked a few final notes on the guitar, then set it down. Tenor beamed.

"When did you come up with that?" he asked.

"I while ago," Serenity said. "When you and Windwalker were spending more together." Tenor sighed happily. Serenity put the guitar away.

"Do you usually carry that much stuff?" asked Windwalker. "It looks like a lot."

"You underestimate me Windwalker," Tenor said. "It may look like a lot, but I've got more then enough strength and stamina to carry it all, plus a rider."

"Okay then," Windwalker said.

The squadron continued towards the ocean. Tenor suspected they would reach it by morning. He and Serenity kept singing. The squadron occasionally joined it. It made the time go by faster. They flew over the hills and valleys. They spotted a small village every now and then, but nothing happened.

They reached the coastline when the sky was just starting to get lighter. Tenor wanted to continue onward, but some of the younger dragons were getting winey.

"Tenor can we please stop?" asked a young Gronkle. "My wings are killing me."

"Keep moving," Tenor said. "If we stop it'll take us longer to get home." Several dragons moaned. Tenor paid no heed to it. Windwalker was a bit concerned.

"How much farther is it?" she asked.

"It's another day's flight," Tenor said. "If we keep moving, we'll get there by sundown."

"One hour?" asked a young Prickleboggle. Tenor sighed.

"Fine, one hour," he said irritated. "This'll be our only pit stop. We'll be flying over ocean from now on." They squadron landed on the cliff and took a load off. Tenor landed and Serenity dismounted.

"Are you tired?" Tenor asked.

"No," Serenity said. "I've flown for a whole week straight." Tenor smiled at her.

"So you meant every word of that song?" he asked. Serenity's eyes went sad, but she nodded.

"You're not a pet Tenor," she said. "You're a wild dragon with a free spirit." Tenor nuzzled her cheek.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said. "I still want to be Windwalker's mate, but I'm not going to choose one over the other. I want you both."

"I don't want to hold you back," Serenity said.

"You're not," Tenor said. "I can make this work." Serenity hugged his snout.

"Besides, we still haven't come up with a mating song," Tenor said. "You think you and Chris will sing one?"

"Sure," Serenity said. "But only if he wants to." Tenor dropped the issue. He looked at the squadron. They were grooming themselves. Serenity looked over to where Chris was resting on a fallen log, Windwalker was sitting next to him. Serenity pulled two golden apples our of her saddlebags and went over and sat beside him, handing him one of the apples.

"How are you doing?" she asked. "The long flight getting to you at all." Chris took the apple.

"No, I'm alright," he said. "I'm anxious to be home." Serenity smiled at him.

"Me too," she said. "I love being out in the world, but I get homesick sometimes." Chris got off the log, putting the apple in his pocket. He held hand out for her. Serenity took it, putting her apple in her pocket. They walked to cliff's edge, as the sun started to rise. Waves crashed against the rocks. Chris looked at Serenity.

"You feeling tired at all?" he asked.

"No," Serenity said. "I have the strength of a true traveler. I can stay awake a lot longer than the average human. I can do everything, except fight or any other skill that requires weapons." Chris put a hand on her shoulder.

"I have no problems with your not fighting," he said. "And that's the honest to Draco truth. In my opinion you shouldn't need fighting skills to be a dragon rider, you just have to be very good with dragons." Serenity smiled. Chris turned to face her. She threw her arms around him.

"It must feel a bit odd not having a war to fight after ten years," she said.

"In a good way," Chis said. "I don't miss the war at all." Serenity let go of him, but still held his hand.

"We should get ready to head out," Chris said after a while. Serenity smiled and nodded. Chris turned and headed back towards the dragons. Suddenly he heard a loud rumbling sound behind him, followed by a short scream. He turned back around and Serenity seemed to have vanished. Panicking, Chris ran back to the cliff and looked down. Serenity was several feet bellow him, stuck on a very narrow ledge.

"You okay?" he asked.

"A bit shaken," Serenity said. "But I think I can get back up."

"You need help?" Chris asked, as Tenor and Windwalker joined him.

"No," Serenity said. "I've done this before." She removed her boots and tossed them one after the other back up to the top. She then removed her gloves and put them between her teeth. She then began climbing up the cliff face. She gripped the rock with all fingers and toes. She moved slowly, finding firm hand holds and food holds.

A few minuets she reached the top. She gripped the edge of the cliff, and heaved herself on to solid ground. She laid on her back and removed the gloves from her mouth, so she could catch her breath. Chris and the two black dragons looked down at her. She was very dirty and had a few tiny scratches, but nothing serious. She took several deep breaths.

"That was fun," she panted. Tenor picked up her boots and set them down beside her. She sat up and put her boots back on, then her gloves. She got to her feet, leaning on Tenor a bit.

"You've rocked climbed before?" Chris said.

"Yeah, a few times," Serenity said. "I figured it would be a good skill to learn."

"I would have to agree," Chris said.

"I've learned to get myself out of tough situations like that," Serenity said. She stroked Tenor's neck.

"Well, the hours almost up," Tenor said. "I should get the squadron on their feet." He and Windwalker walked off, and their riders went back to their apples.

"It appears your rider's not as delicate as I first thought she was," Windwalker said.

"She may not be a fighter, but she is fearless," Tenor said. "Everyone who meets her thing she's delicate as first. She is afraid of other humans, and wolves, and she hates being left behind. But I find all those quite rational." He and Windwalker got the other dragons on their feet for the final leg of the flight home.

After a few minuets the two nightly dragons found their riders. Chris and Serenity mounted up, and everyone took off. They formed their formations again and followed Tenor over the ocean. The sun slowly came up as they headed for Draconia.

Soon they lost sight of all land, and the ocean spread out before them. A few open ocean birds flew near the dragons. Tenor led everyone higher over the ocean, where there was a slightly stronger wind. More songs were sung. Occasionally a few dragons would dive down and snatch fish. Tenor allowed it, since they were making good time.

By mid afternoon clouds moved in and the temperature dropped a little. No one was worried yet. But soon they spotted a huge thunderstorm right in their path. Lightning flashed and the water grew choppy. Serenity glanced over at Chris, who looked very nervous. The dragons all stopped.

"We're not actually going to fly through that are we?" asked Tiir. "I've never flown through a typhoon."

"I haven't either," Windwalker admitted.

"I have," Tenor said. "We can make it, as long as we keep moving and stay low. The storm's too big to go around and too tall to fly over. We have no choice but to go straight through." Chris put his face in his hands. Serenity knew what he was worried about.

"You think you can go through?" she asked.

"I don't know," Chris said.

"It's the only way home," Serenity said. "I can ride with you if you want." The was a moment of silence as Chris thought it over.

"All right," he said finally. Tenor flew as close to Windwalker as he could so Chris could climb on behind Serenity.

"Windwalker, why don't you bring up the rear," Tenor said. "Make sure no one goes off in the wrong direction." Windwalker nodded and flew off.

"I can't do this," Chris admitted and Serenity heard the pure terror in his voice.

"Yes you can," she said. "We'll get through it together. You'll be fine." She could feel him shaking. She turned around in the saddle and kissed his cheek. "Home's just on the other side. We'll be there by night fall." Tenor looked at the two of them.

"You guys ready?" he asked.

"Yes, we are," Serenity said. Tenor faced the typhoon and lead the squadron into it.

"How do you even know Draconian's that way?" asked Tiir.

"I always know my way home," Tenor said. "All dragons can find Draconia even if they've never been there. It's a gut feeling." He picked up the pace.

The dragons entered the typhoon. It was rough almost at once. It started to rain and the waves got bigger. The deeper they went, the darker it got. The dragons all dodged the waves. In no time at all, they were soaked. Tenor stayed at the head of the group and dodged the waves with expert coordination using his sonar, the waves didn't touch him or his riders. But Chris was still trembling. Serenity looked at him from over her shoulder.

"Just close your eyes, and we'll be through this before you know it," she said, gripping his hand in hers. Chris shut his eyes and held on tight. Serenity scanned her brain for something to take his mind off the storm, and what had happened ten years ago. The only thing she could think of was to sing another song. She sang her next song as loud as she could.

 _Hands, put your empty hands in mine_

 _And scars, show me all the scars you hide_

 _And hey, if your wings are broken_

 _Please take mine so yours can open too_

 _'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Oh, tears make kaleidoscopes in your eyes_

 _And hurt, I know you're hurting, but so am I_

 _And love, if your wings are broken_

 _Borrow mine so yours can open too_

She sang louder as she sang the chorus.

 _'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you._

Tenor found himself weaving and flying to the beat of the song. Chris listened to the song and it helped distract him from the storm for a bit. Serenity kept singing.

 _Yeah, you're all I never knew I needed_

 _And the heart, sometimes it's unclear why it's beating_

 _And love, if your wings are broken_

 _We can brave through those emotions too_

The other dragons were now listening to the song. Some sang a long

 _'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Oh, truth, I guess truth is what you believe in_

 _And faith, I think faith is helping to reason_

 _No, no, no, love, if your wings are broken_

 _Borrow mine so yours can open too_

 _'Cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _I'll be your eyes when yours can't shine_

 _I'll be your arms, I'll be your steady satellite_

 _And when you can't rise, well, I'll cry with you on hands and knees_

She finished the song as loud and as strongly as she could.

 _'Cause I_

 _(I'm gonna stand by you)_

 _Even if we're breaking down, we can find a way to break through (come on)_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Even if we can't find heaven, I'll walk through hell with you_

 _Love, you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna stand by you_

 _Love, you're not alone_

 _No, I'm gonna stand by you_

 _(Even if we can't find heaven, heaven, heaven)_

 _I'm gonna stand by you._

When the song ended light could be seen up ahead. The storm was starting to get weaker. The dragons put on a burst of speed, eager to be out of the storm. And a few minuets they the sun set, the storm was behind them. Windwalker checked to make sure everyone was present and accounted for. Luckily everyone was, and they were all cheering. Windwalker rejoined Tenor at the head of the squadron.

"Everyone's here," she said.

"Great," said Tenor. "We're almost there, at least five more miles." Serenity looked over her shoulder at Chris, who still had his eyes closed. She held his hand.

"Chris, you can open your eyes now," she said softly. "We're out of the storm." Chris sat up and opened his eyes, seeing that it was true. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm so glad of that," he said.

"You going to be okay now?" Serenity asked.

"Yeah I think so," Chris said. Windwalker pulled up along side them, and Chris climbed back into her saddle. The dragons continued towards Draconia.

The sun went down and the stars came out. The moon was waxing and almost full. The dragons sung more songs. They were more cheerful now that they were out of the storm and almost home. The only one not singing was Chris. His mind was in the past, when he'd flown through the typhoon that separated him from his family. He was very grateful that he made it through this time. Now he was finally heading home after so long, it was just a few miles away. His heart raced as they got closer.

At long last they flew over the large wall that marked Draconia's waters. The closer they got to the country, they saw more dragons. The locals were quickly alerted to the new comers, and came over to investigate. They were especially interested in Windwalker, since she was the first purebred Night Fury to set foot in Draconia in centuries. Tenor soon saw the line of mountains on the horizon.

"Land ho!" he cried. This sparked a big cheer from the squadron.

"Can we see the castle?" Someone asked.

"Yes, you're all going to spend the night on the castle grounds," Tenor said. "Tomorrow, I'll show you the island we're giving you." The squadron murmured with excitement. They picked up the pace and the mountains got bigger.

Then at long long last, they arrived at the Golden Gates that sealed off the lagoon at the base of the castle. When the castle itself came into view, they all stopped to admire it. Arched over the castle's spires were bright green and blue aurora lights forming the words: WELCOME HOME! A huge fancy Draconian flag was flying from the tallest spire. Chris felt a huge wave of emotion come over him, seeing home again.

"Your parents really know how to greet newcomers," Tiir said, slightly hypnotized by the castle.

"Yeah they do," Chris said, not really paying attention.

"Lets go get some sleep," Windwalker said. They all agreed. They flew over the castle, still admiring it. The landed on the castle's lawn, which was plenty big enough for all of them. Chris and Serenity dismounted. Chris looked up at the castle. Serenity stood beside him and held his hand. She saw tears in his eyes.

"Hey, don't cry," she said.

"I'm sorry," Chris said, wiping his eyes. "I just can't believe I'm finally home again." Serenity squeezed his hand.

"You remember where your room is?" she asked.

"I think so," Chris said. "I remember where most of the rooms are." He yawned. "I should go find it, I'm finally feeling the effects of the long flight."

"I should too," said Serenity, pulling her medical bag and saddle bags off Tenor's saddle. She opened the big front doors and they both went inside.

Tenor turned to Windwalker. She didn't seem tired.

"You feeling okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Windwalker said. "This place is beautiful." Tenor beamed. He turned and headed towards inside as well.

"Where are you going?" Windwalker asked.

"I was under the impression you wanted to see my place," Tenor said.

"Oh right," Windwalker said. She glanced over at her squadron. Tenor could almost hear what she was thinking.

"They'll be fine," he said. "They're safe now."

"All right," Windwalker said. Tenor smiled wider. He lead the way into the castle.

They went through the entrance hall, and up the curved double staircase. Windwalker looked around as they went down the corridors. She compared it to the mountain home they had left. The castle was slightly smaller than that mountain, but seemed a lot grander. It was well lit by the glowing crystals. They passed rooms and smaller corridors.

Soon Tenor came to a dead end. A small door faced them. Tenor took off his head plate and removed the insignia from the forehead. He slid the round insignia into a slot in the door, where the doorknob would be. He turned it and it clicked. He opened the door, and put the insignia back in the head plate and put it back on. He led Windwalker into the room behind the door. The room was big and round. A tall window was to their right, looking out over the lagoon and the mountains that lined it. Across the room facing them was a narrow painting. It showed the starry sky, the constellation Draco was in the middle. Above the constellation was a crescent moon surrounded by bright stars. Apart from the painting, there was nothing in the room.

"This is where you live?" Windwalker asked.

"No," Tenor said. "This is just the anti chamber." He went up to the painting which was as tall as the wall it hung on. He pressed a button in the frame and the painting swung upward. Behind the painting was a dark tunnel that sloped downward slightly. Windwalker could see down the tunnel, but knew that to a pair of eyes without night vision it would be pitch black. The tunnel was plenty wide enough to fly down. Tenor spread his wings and flew down the tunnel. Windwalker followed him, and the hidden door closed behind them.

They flew down the dark tunnel, which seemed to be leading away from the main castle. It twisted and turned. It went on for a while until it ended at another door. Tenor landed and opened the door, which was not locked. Windwalker followed him into a large round room with a domed ceiling. Small glowing crystals lined the wall on the floor, lighting up the room. There were star and moon charts all over the walls and floor, along with calendars. Paintings of planets, moons, stars, and comets hung on the walls. a few globes scattered the room, some of Earth, and some of the Moon. In the middle of the room was a massive brass telescope aimed at the ceiling. Across from the door, a large gold pendulum swung back and forth, a ring of brass pegs ringed the pendulum, some still standing, and some knocked over.

"Wow, so this is where you live?" asked Windwalker.

"Yes, this is my observatory," Tenor said. He began picking up the papers and charts scattered all over the floor. "I apologize for the mess. I'm currently calculating when the next solar eclipse is going to happen."

"And when is it?" Windwalker asked.

"It's not for a few years," Tenor said. "But I've calculated when the next lunar eclipse is going to happen, and it's only a few months away."

"Why do you want to know when they're going to happen?" asked Windwalker asked.

"So I can plan something special," Tenor said. "Eclipses are very rare, very special." He put the papers and charts in a neat stack next to the telescope. He then went over to the wall near the pendulum and pulled a leaver. The domed ceiling opened up like an eye lid, exposing them to the night sky. The telescope was aimed at the stars. The pendulum was dangling from an arm made of iron. Windwalker looked up at the millions of stars and moon high overhead.

"You can really see the stars with that telescope?" she asked.

"When I finish cleaning it yes," Tenor said. "It starting to get rusty, and I plan to clean it before looking though it again." He closed the dome. When it closed Tenor went back to Windwalker.

"Where do you sleep?" she asked.

"In my planetarium," Tenor said. "This way." He went across the room, to a painting of the full moon. He pulled on it and it opened to show a flight of stairs leading upwards. They went up the stairs and entered a much larger round room with a bigger domed ceiling. Once they were inside, Tenor closed a door that blended in with the rest of the dome. Windwalker glanced around. The dome was dotted with billions of tiny lights that looked just like stars. Some of them formed constellations that existed in the real night sky. A large glowing orb hung from the dome, which looked just like the moon. The floor was solid black, but Windwalker could see a raised plateau in the middle. It had a black leather cushion on the top. A few books and scrolls sat on the outer rim of the plateau.

"So this is where you live," Windwalker said.

"Yup," Tenor said. "Re and Aurora are the only ones who have seen it until now. You can live here too if you want."

"I may just," said Windwalker. "But I would want to find my own place on this island you're giving us." Tenor nodded in understanding. Then he yawned.

"Lets get some rest," Windwalker said. Tenor took off his armor, crawled on to his bed and laid down with a sigh. Windwalker joined him. The bed was plenty big enough for the pair of them. She snuggled closer to him and they both fell asleep in minuets.

Elsewhere in the castle, Chris and Serenity walked together towards their respective rooms. As they walked down the corridors, Chris felt wave after wave of memories and nostalgia come over him. He said nothing as his mind went back in time to when he last set foot in these halls. It was so long ago, yet he remembered those days as though they happened yesterday.

Soon they came to Serenity's bedroom doors. They paused and looked at each other.

"You still have that Round Table?" Chris asked.

"I do," Serenity said, as she opened the doors. When they opened, Chris saw the table in the middle of the room and the magic sword Excalibur hung in its glass case. It looked exactly the same as it did ten years ago. Serenity could see the far away look on his face. She took his hand in hers.

"Lot of memories in this place," she said quietly.

"It's been so long since I've been here," Chris said. "Nothing's changed."

"No, we're the ones who changed," Serenity said. She saw tears in his eyes and wiped them away with her fingers. "You going to be okay?" Chris heaved a sigh.

"I'm just very emotional," he said. Serenity hugged him and he hugged her back.

"I'll be all right," he said. "I think I just need some rest." Serenity let go of him.

"I'll see you in the morning then," she said and kissed his cheek. She turned to go inside but Chris gently grabbed her arm and turned her to face him. He pressed his lips to hers. Serenity was slightly stunned but returned the kiss, placing a hand on his shoulder. After a few minuets they separated, Serenity blushed as she went inside her room and shut the door.

Chris wandered through the castle towards his room. He did remember the way, though the trip seemed a bit shorter than before. He crossed the bridge that led to the tower where his room was. When he got to his door, he stopped dead. His blue bedroom door was padlocked. A gold plaque hung on the door with the letters R.I.P engraved on it along with his name. A pair of black forked pennant flags flanked the door, each with a grey Draconian crest on them. leaning against the bottom of the door was a wreath made of flowers, pine boughs, and pin cones. Chris gave a small, sad smile. His front door had become his own tombstone. He could tell just how hard his disappearance had been for everyone. Suddenly he heard a dragon landing behind him. He turned to see his mother sanding on the bridge.

"I meant to clean that up," Aurora said. "Re was in a lot of pain and it required my full attention."

"How's he doing?" Chris asked.

"His bones are still healing," said Aurora. "And it causes him a lot of pain. Bones heal slower than skin and muscles. Even on dragons." She sounded tired. She looked at the door and clicked her talons. The flags, plaque, and padlock all vanished and the door opened by itself. Chris entered the room, Aurora followed him. Inside the room was very dark. Thick curtains covered the windows. Everything else was covered in dusty white sheets. The gold flagstones on the floor were very dusty. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling and stairs. The place looked haunted and sad.

"It's been very hard these passed few years," Aurora said. "Very, very hard."

"I understand," Chris said. "It was very hard for me too." Aurora cracked her tail like a whip. The sheets flew up and vanished. The dust and cobwebs dissolved, and the curtains opened. Soon the room looked just they way Chris remembered it. Lights from outside came though the window.

"Thanks Mom," Chris said. He hugged her neck and she nuzzled him back.

"Welcome home son," Aurora purred.

"Thanks," Chris said. He let go after a few minuets. Aurora nibbled his cheek.

"Good night," she said gently. She turned and left, closing the door with her tail. Chris heard her fly away. Chris went up the stairs to the room above. It too had been cleaned up with Aurora's magic. The large bean bag chair sat in the corner, surrounded by windows. The balcony outside looked untouched. Chris went back down below and removed his coat. He hung it on his dragon horn coat rack. He then sat on his bed, which creaked with age, and removed his boots. He crawled into bed and fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The next morning rain was falling, and wind howled through the spires of the castle. Chris hadn't woken up to the sound of the ocean in so long. It felt a bit odd being home. He sat up and glanced around. It was very grey outside. Chris got out of bed and was looking around for his boots, when a black shape soared passed his window. Chris found and put on his boots. He then went outside to see who was flying around.

It turned out to be Tenor and Serenity. They flew through the pouring rain and were already soaked. When Serenity saw Chris outside she steered Tenor around and splashed down onto the bridge in front of him. Serenity smiled and dismounted.

"Good morning," she said, wiping her wet hair out of her face. She seemed happy, despite being soaking wet. She wore a yellow raincoat, and she was barefoot.

"Why are you flying in the rain?" Chris asked.

"Because she's insane," Tenor said, before Serenity could speak.

"The dragon's blood in my veins keep me warm," Serenity said. "And I don't mind being wet."

"You act like you've been cooped up all your life," Chris said. Serenity's smile faded.

"Pretty close," she said. "These three have been fighting bad guys and dragon hunters for a long time and I couldn't ride while they were fighting. Then I got too sick to ride. I'm not like the rest of you, I don't fight. So whenever everyone goes to war, I get grounded. So I fly as much as I can. Rain or shine." She stroked Tenor's slick neck. Chris approached her, and took her hand in his.

"It must get lonely being the only non fighter in family," he said.

"And so boring," Serenity said. "When I don't have patients to take care of. And that's good, but it leaves me with nothing to do." Tenor yawned.

"Well, I'm going to leave to two and go find Windwalker," he said. "We've come up with our mating song and want to practice it once before we head to her new home. We want to sing it there." He turned and flew off. Serenity turned back to Chris.

"You want to go with them?" she asked.

"Yeah I do," Chris said. "I want to make sure they're well settled." Serenity smiled. "But I think you should dry off first." Serenity looked down at herself. She had completely forgotten she was soaked.

"I'm only going to get wet again," she said. "I'll dry off when I get back." She turned and headed back inside.

Later the two of them came outside onto the lawn. The mountain dragons were all awake and talking excitedly about their new home. Re, Aurora, and Tenor were all there with Windwalker.

"Are we ready?" Aurora asked. Everyone confirmed. Chris and Serenity mounted Re and Aurora, so Tenor and Windwalker could have some time together. Then they all took off.

They headed for the volcanic island. The water was grey and choppy, but not too violent. Rain poured onto them. They left the mainland and headed northeast. It took about half an hour to reach the island. Soon they reached it, and the squadron admired it in the gray light.

It was four thousand square miles. There were several trees and lots of green grass. Wherever there wasn't greenery, there was dried lava. There was a beach on two sides of the island, both of them were made of black sand. There was a tall cliff made of dried lava and had a beautiful waterfall gushing down into the sea. A river fed the waterfall, that flowed from a large lake. Surrounding it were a few bubbling springs. And shadowing the whole thing was a large caldera. In the crater were more springs, and a large geyser right in the middle of the crater. Around the rim was more dried lava.

Mist and rain covered the volcano's slopes. Wind blew through the grass and trees.

They landed at the base of the caldera. They all looked around and liked what they saw.

"This place is beautiful," said Tiir. "I've never seen a real volcano before. Is it active?"

"No, it's dormant," Re said, glancing up at the top. "It's what I like to call a sleeping dragon. One day it'll breathe fire again." He had a dreamy look on his face. Aurora rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry," she said. "Re's one of the best volcanologist in the world, and I don't foresee this one erupting anytime soon. We'll let you know when it starts getting restless."

"Thank you," Tiir said. Suddenly they hear a loud banging sound. They followed the sound and it was Windwalker banging her tail into the ground, creating a musical beet. Everyone fell silent. Windwalker started to sing.

 _I followed my heart into the fire_

 _Got burned, got broken down by desire_

 _I tried, I tried_

 _But the smoke in my eyes_

 _Left me blurry, blurry and blind_

tenor

 _I picked all the pieces up off the ground_

 _Got dirt on my fingers but that's gone now_

 _Got the glue in my hands_

 _And stickin' to the plan_

 _Stickin' to the plan that says, I can..._

both

 _Do anything at all_

 _I can do anything at all_

As the song picked up, the two nightly dragons shot into the sky and did high speed flips and acrobatics.

 _This is my kiss goodbye_

 _You can stand alone and watch me fly_

 _'Cause nothing's keeping me down_

 _Gonna let it all out_

 _Come on and say right now, right now, right now_

 _This is my big "Hello"_

 _'Cause I'm here and never letting go_

 _I can finally see,_

 _It's not just a dream_

 _When you set it all free, all free, all free_

 _You set it all free_

Windwalker landed on a tall rock and Tenor flew in circles around her.

windwalker

 _I was a girl caught under your thumb_

 _But my star's gonna shine brighter than your sun_

tenor

 _And I will reach so high,_

 _Shoot so far_

 _Gonna hit, gonna hit, hit every target_

After that last lyric Tenor shot a plasma blast which exploded in the air.

both

 _Make it count this time_

 _I will make it count this time_

Windwalker took off again and they circled each other, flying low over their audience.

 _This is my kiss goodbye_

 _You can stand alone and watch me fly_

 _'Cause nothing's keeping me down_

 _I'm gonna let it all out_

 _Come on and say right now, right now, right now_

 _This is my big "Hello"_

 _'Cause I'm here and never letting go_

 _I can finally see,_

 _It's not just a dream_

 _When you set it all free, all free, all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

Tenor hovered in mid air.

tenor

 _This is my kiss goodbye_

 _You can stand alone and watch me fly_

 _'Cause nothing's keeping me down_

 _I'm gonna let it all out_

both

 _Come on and say right now, right now, right now_

 _This is my big "Hello"_

 _'Cause I'm here and never letting go_

 _I can finally see,_

 _It's not just a dream_

 _When you set it all free, all free, all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

 _You set it all free_

They landed after the last word and hit the ground, wings flared. The crowd cheered. Chris took Serenity's hand in hers and she leaned into him.

"Everything's going to change from now on," she said.

"Yeah," Chris said. "For the better in my opinion." He looked at her. After ten long years, she was back at his side where she belonged, and Chris was determined to stay with her this time and not be separated again. There was one last thing to do.

When they got back to the castle and dried off from the rain, Chris found Tenor heading towards his chambers. Windwalker had stayed with her squadron to help them get settled, and Tenor had planned to clean his chambers so Windwalker wouldn't think he was sloppy and untidy.

"Hey Tenor?" Chris said, catching up to him. "When's the next full moon?" Tenor paused and thought a moment.

"I believe it's a month away, roughy," he said after a while. "Last one was three days ago. Why?" Chris took a deep breath.

"I'm going to ask Serenity to marry me," he said. "And I wanted to make it special." Tenor didn't really look that surprised.

"I knew it was only a matter of time," he said, slightly amused. "Serenity has explained over and over about the Roman mating rituals, and how they'd evolve over years. I have a few ideas if you care to hear them."

The next few days Re, Aurora, and Tenor helped Chris design Serenity's wedding ring. They planned it in secret, and Tenor distracted Serenity whenever she started to get suspicious. Chris also planned out what he was going to say to her, and how. He wanted it to be perfect.

Soon the ring design was finished, as well as the list of materials Chris wanted it to be made of. He rolled them up as Aurora summoned a Hermes Dragon. Chris tied the scrolls to the dragon's horn and they dismissed her to take the plans to Berk's forge. Now all they had to was wait for the ring to come.

While they waited Chris and Serenity spent all their time together. They wandered the castle grounds, and the beach. They flew on their dragons occasionally. They couldn't be happier. Chris told her stories of his adventures, stories that hardly involved the war. And Serenity told him her stories of her adventures on Berk and Dragon's Edge. She didn't talk about fighting dragon hunters much, since she never fought them herself. She talked a lot about the dragon friends she'd made. The two of them hardly spent time apart.

Meanwhile the newcomers settled into their home. The dragons each found caves or thickets to build their nests. Mother dragons with unhatched eggs found soft moss and grass for their eggs. Most of the nests were near the lake and river. The water was warm but tasted quite clean and fresh.

It didn't take long before the local dragons came to their island to meet their new neighbors. The first thing Windwalker notice about many of the local dragons was that they were all highly decorated; with shiny metals, precious stones, and elegant furs. The mountain dragons guessed the dragons of Draconia were extremely wealthy.

One day about half way to the full moon, four local dragons approached Windwalker. One was forest green with sky blue wing membranes. She had matching gold bands around her horns and tail, and gold rings on her front talons. The dragon next to her was beige with a silver underbelly. He wore a vest made of black bear fur secured with a rose gold broach. The third dragon was rusty orange with back spins and horns. She was probably the most decorated. Tiny silver chains, embedded with diamonds wrapped around her horns. An earring made from a pheasant tail feather dangled from her left ear. She wore copper armbands, on her front legs that were twisted into a celtic design. She wore a matching collar on her neck, that was decorated with topaz stones.

"Hello," said the beige dragon. "We heard there were new arrivals. You're Windwalker right?"

"Yes," Windwalker said. "What are your names?"

"I'm Osprey," the beige dragon said. "This is Pyrite," he pointed at the orange dragon. "And Loria." He pointed to the green dragon. Windwalker eyed his fur vest.

"Did you kill a bear just for his fur?" she asked.

"You don't like my vest?" said Osprey, looking a bit hurt. "I made it myself. I killed the bear for his fur and his meat." Windwalker sat on her haunches, and glanced at the other two.

"Did you make your items too?" she asked.

"I made this one," Pyrite said, pointing to her earring. "But the rest of these are heirlooms." She gestured to the rest of her jewelry.

"I paid to have these made," Loria said, holding out her rings. "And my grandfather mined the gold for these bands, and gave them to my mother as a gift, and she gave them to me."

"Oh," Windwalker said. "I didn't mean to make it sound like a theft accusation."

"It's alright," said Pyrite. "You will be pleased to know that no one here is a thief. Many of us are crafters, artisans, miners, and farmers."

"We can probably find you something," Loria said kindly. "Perhaps a chain of moonstones or opals."

"Or yellow topaz," said Osprey. "That would go great your eyes."

"No thanks," Windwalker said. "I'm not that dazzled with jewels and gold."

"Oh, no problem," Osprey said. "Maybe your squadron would like a few jewels."

"For now, we just want to settle in a safe place," Windwalker said.

"We understand that," said Loria. "You guys are not the first to loose their homes and friends to humans, far from it."

"My mother and father were young dragonets when they had to evacuate their small island home," said Pyrite. "The island was burned to ashes by an entire armada of ships. Many died, including my grandmother and all my aunts and uncles."

"Our entire nation is one big family," Osprey said. "And we're excited to have you and your squadron join it."

"What's ours is yours," said Loria.

"Thank you," Windwalker said, sitting on her haunches. "So what else can you tell me about life here?" The three Draconians smiled.

They told all about life in the homeland. They told her how the politics worked, how dragons made a living for themselves, how the hunting and farming seasons worked, and more. Windwalker asked many questions.

"So Re and Aurora decorate themselves as well?" she asked.

"Yes," Osprey said. "Of course they value family more than treasure, but they are often decorated. But they're only decorated when there at home, when they're out in the world they only wear their armor and crowns."

"Are all the dragons here decorated?" Windwalker asked.

"Not all of them," said Pyrite. "You're new mate never wears decoration. He thinks jewels are too girly and any other decoration just get in the way."

"He has thought about painting himself though," said Loria.

"He never told me that," Windwalker said. All three Draconians shrugged.

"It's not something that's high on his mind I guess," said Pyrite. "Tenor's the biggest mystery around here. You never know what's on his mind or what he's going to do or say."

"I love him," Windwalker said honestly.

"There is a lot there to love," Loria said. "He is very brave and very kind, despite all that was done to him." All three Draconians looked guilty. Before any of then could say anything, Tenor swooped down and landed beside Windwalker.

"Hello Prime Minister," said Osprey. "We were just talking about you." Tenor merely blinked. Windwalker looked between Tenor and the others. He looked so different to them. Compared to them, he was tiny and his wings looked much too big for him. His head was a different shape, and his neck was a little thicker. The only decoration he had were his crown, and saddle. Next to the other three Draconians he looked, alien. Tenor must have noticed her glancing between him and the other three, because he looked sadly at the ground.

"Chris is looking for you," he said shyly, avoiding her gaze. "We want to show you around Bluegreen."

"I'll follow you," Windwalker said. Tenor spread his wings and took off. Windwalker turned to the other two.

"Thank you for your visit," she said.

"You're welcome," said Pyrite. Windwalker followed Tenor. They headed for the mainland. Tenor hummed quietly. He cheered up again.

"Are you always shy around your fellow Draconians?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," Tenor said. "It's sort of become a natural response. You've seen how different I look to them. I do better when I'm with my comrades, or my Berkian friends."

"But not me?" Windwalker said.

"Well, since you are my mate now, you're now apart of our team," Tenor said. "Therefore, you are both my mate and my comrade, just as Re is my brother as well as my comrade."

"A team," Windwalker repeated. "I've never really been apart of team before. I've often been the head of a team."

"Do you not want to be part of our team?" Tenor asked. "I can always leave the castle and move out to Mt. Vulcan with you. I can build another observatory and planetarium."

"That's okay," Windwalker said. "I like the sound of being apart of a team. It might be good for me." At that moment they reached the castle. Re, Aurora, Chris, and Serenity were waiting for them, with a few of Windwalker's squadron. The two nightly dragons landed.

"I have asked a few other dragons to show the rest of your squadron around the country," Re said. "There is much to see." Serenity and Chris mounted their dragons and they all took off.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As the dragons flew through the city, Windwalker saw more decoration. It was on the dragons, and on their lawns. She suspected there were more in their homes. The homes themselves were huge, tall, and very unique. She saw houses as big as gladiator arenas, some as tall as mountains, some shaped like pyramids, some shaped like cones, some shaped like ovulisks, some shaped like dragon skulls, she saw a tower shaped like a rook chess piece and made of gold, and one that looked like a small palace make of ivy and marble with a clay roof.

Re landed and the others landed next to him, and the two riders dismounted. Windwalker noticed that the city had no paved roads, just fresh green grass, moss, and dirt between the houses. Dragons were everywhere, going about their lives. As Windwalker walked down the mossy street she saw a silver and blue dragon with sapphires around her ankles out in the garden in front of their hexagon shaped house, showing her young dragonet about plants and how to grow them. The dragonet kept getting distracted by bugs.

A big sage green dragon with silver tail bands landed in front of a giant stone tepee and was greeted by a sandy yellow dragon in the arched doorway. They nuzzled each other and the green dragon handed his mate a beautiful color made of silver and sparkling with different colored gems. She put it on, and it stood out vividly on her light-colored scales, sparking in the daylight.

"Why so much decoration?" Windwalker asked.

"Many of the decorations were either made by the wearer, or given to them as a gift," Aurora said. "Dragons here are artisans and love to make things colorful, including their own scales. And they like to be creative."

"Did your father create them like that?" Windwalker asked. Aurora stood at her full hight.

"My father didn't create them like anything," she said. "He just created them. He has no control over the decisions they make, or what they become interested in. He controls their soul, but not their hearts or minds. Father lets them make their own choices." At that moment there were passing a large forge. The smell of fire and metal hit Windwalker's nose. Smoke billowed out of a smokestack in the shape of an eastern dragon. There came the sound of a hammer hitting metal. Inside was a dragon with blue grey scales, and wings, spines, horns, and talons, all the color of steel. She was currently turning a crank that, made the hammer go up and down and hit something red hot on the large anvil.

"Is this the blacksmith that made all your armor?" Windwalker asked. "The one you talked about?"

"Yes," said Re. "This is Steel, she's pretty famous around here."

"Excuse me Steel," Aurora said. "Can you spare us a moment?" Steel paused in her work and glanced up. She was wearing a face shield with dark eyes.

"Hello your majesties," she said. "Come on in I'll be done in two minuets." She looked back at what she was doing. Windwalker glanced around at the forge. The floor was littered with metal shavings and a few animal bones. Pieces of dragon armor were stacked on shelves. Head plates had their own rack, in different shapes, sizes, and colors. a large furnace stood in the corner, fire blazing inside it. Beside the furnace were a set of long iron pincers, a fire poker, and a shovel. A large bowel sat on a counter among a pile of rocks. A sharpening stone stood near the anvil. The rest of the space were taken up by molds and blacksmithing tools. Above was a large loft where Steel slept.

Steel stopped hammering and put the metal item into a bowl of water to cool it. There came a loud hiss, and a cloud of steam. She pulled it out and clasped it in her jaws. She went over to the shelves with dragon armor and put the item among the other pieces. Then she turned to her guests and removed the face shield. She smiled.

"Welcome my friends," she said, bowing. "Long time no see Chris."

"Nice to see you too Steel," Chris said grasping Serenity's hand. "This is my friend Windwalker." Steel looked at Windwalker.

"Yes, I heard there were new arrivals," Steel said. "And that one of them was the legendary Night Fury. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Legendary?" Windwalker said.

"Yes," said Steel. "Night Furies were mere ghost stories until Toothless was shot down."

"You think you can make her a head plate like ours?" Aurora asked. Steel considered.

"Maybe," she said. "I don't have a Night Fury mold, so I'd have to make it completely from scratch. But that's alright I love a challenge." She approached Windwalker.

"A head plate is not really necessary," Windwalker said.

"Nonsense," Steel said. "Everyone has a head plate around here, especially those on the King's team." She pulled a head plate of a hook in the back of the forge. "See this one's mine." She held up the head plate. It was blue grey and had a red S with a hammer and pincer tool crossing behind it. "Of course my face shield won't fit over it." She hung the head plate back on it's hook. "We can make head plates for all your friends, and I bet I can even make armor for you good prince." She looked at Chris, her eyes examining him from head to toe.

"I'm not a prince," Chris said, blushing.

"You are the son of the King," Steel said. "You may not be heir to the throne because you're human, but doesn't mean you can't be a prince." She beamed. "I've never made human armor before either. This is so exciting." She examined Windwalker's head, using her talons and tail to make measurements. Windwalker held still. Steel wrote notes using parchment and charcoal. She drew a basic outline of a Night Fury's head.

"This will take a long time to make," she said. "But it should give you plenty of time to come up with what goes on the forehead."

"You really don't have to make it," Windwalker said, trying to sound humble. Steel looked a touch insulted.

"I want to," she said. "I've never made a head plate for a Night Fury before. I've never made armor for a Night Fury before."

"You sure?" asked Windwalker.

"Yes I'm sure," said Steel. "I can even make yours compliment his." She pointed at Tenor who looked a bit surprised. "I have plenty of those rocks that make black metal."

"You make your own metal instead of getting it brought to you?" Windwalker asked.

"Yes," said Steel. "Occasionally I'll make stuff out of scrap metal, but mostly I make my own."

"What sort of things do you make besides dragon armor?" Windwalker asked. "Weapons?" Steel narrowed her eyes.

"Draco's the one who makes weapons for dragons," she said. "I make armor, tools, home accessories, pieces of art like statues, and pieces of structure like bridges."

"What do you build bridges for?" asked Windwalker.

"To build houses on," Re explained. "I plan to burn down the thorns of Dragon Claw Canyon and build a few bridges across it afterwords.".

"Do you make all the decoration I've seen?" Windwalker asked.

"Some of it," said Steel. "But it a chunk of it comes from my twin sister Jewel. We work together to make those items, I provide the shiny metals, and she provides the gems and pearls. Her shop's over there." She pointed to a building next to the forge, that was shaped like a giant gemstone resting on a marble wall that was decorated with multicolored stones.

"Does she make her own gems?" Windwalker asked.

"Oh, goodness no," said Steel. "They come from the earth, and are mined. She just dyes and carves them."

"Well, we'll let you get back to work now," said Aurora. "There is still much to see." Steel nodded.

"Thank you for your visit your majesties," she said happily. "I hope you will come again." She shot fire into the furnace, making it hotter. Everyone left the forge and headed across to Jewel's shop.

When they got there, they entered through an arched doorway that had long strings of pearls hanging from it. Inside the shop was lit by different colored Chinese lanterns with glowing crystals inside them. The shop was tear shaped and there were jewels everywhere; on racks, on shelves, on the long counter, and hanging from the ceiling. At the far end of the room was a dragon that looked just like Steel, except with more polished scales and horns. She was covered in decoration. She had bands on all four legs, and all along her tail. Rings on her talons, earrings on both ears, gold chains with diamonds wrapped around her horns, and her neck was littered with collars and necklaces. They were all decorated with gems and pearls. She also wore a gold head plate that had even more colorful gems in it. She even had diamonds embedded into the scales along her wings and tail.

She looked up from the deer she was eating. She smiled and got to her feet.

"Excuse this interruption Jewel," said Aurora.

"Oh, not a problem your majesty," said Jewel. She glanced at Chris and smiled. "Chris, it's good to see you all grown up." Chris smiled.

"It feels so good to be home," he said.

"It seems like only yesterday you were in here as a boy, asking for me to make a locket out of dragon scales for Serenity," Jewel said.

"I still have that locket too," Serenity said. She pulled out her locket and showed it to Jewel. The dragon clasped it delicately in her talons.

"Yes, I remember this locket so well," she said. "It looks as new as the day I made it." She let go and stepped back.

"It seems like nothing's changed," Chris said.

"You changed," said Jewel. "And for the better I'd say." She circled him. "You look so good, so handsome, and I don't say that about most humans."

"This is my friend Windwalker," Chris said. Jewel looked at Windwalker and smiled.

"A Night Fury," she said, amazed. "I've never seen one in the scales before."

"Are Night Furies really that mysterious?" asked Windwalker.

"Yes," said Re. "Until Hiccup met Toothless, no one even knew what a Night Fury looked like."

"Some didn't even think Night Furies were real," said Jewel. "Just ghost stories that made it sound like the night sky had fangs and claws. Tenor's the only Night Fury hybrid and we didn't even know that until Toothless was shot down." Tenor lowered his head bashfully. Windwalker changed the subject.

"So this is where all those dragons out there got their decoration?" she asked, glancing around the room.

"Oh yes," Jewel said. "Dragons come from all over to make jewelry for themselves or for their loved one."

"You don't make it for them?" asked Windwalker.

"Sometimes I do," Jewel said. "But mostly they want to make it themselves, so I provide all the tools and supplies they'll need."

"Does that get in the way of hunting?" Windwalker asked, looking at all the jewelry.

"I always take these off before I go hunting," Jewel said, gesturing to the necklaces. "They get in the way and it's a pain to get blood off them." She fiddled with a string of opals around her neck. Suddenly she yawned and stretched her wings.

"We'll let you get back to you meal," said Re.

"I have a favor to ask you later," said Aurora.

"Of course your majesty," said Jewel. "I hope you'll come again." She turned back to her deer and everyone left. Chris and Serenity mounted their dragons and they took off.

They saw more of Bluegreen, and visited many more of it's citizens. They visited an old woodcarver named Splinter, a stonecutter named Granite, a tanner named Cowhide, and a dragon that made beautiful items with blown glass named Heat. They were all very friendly and all very talented. By now Windwalker grew used to seeing so much decoration. They also visited the Bluegreen Hospital where Serenity learned her trade. She introduced Windwalker to her mentor Vitamin and the other Healer Dragons. Vitamin praised about how Serenity became a fully qualified Dragon Healer, by saving the King's life.

From Bluegreen Re lead everyone farther inland. He showed Windwalker the Dragon River, Silver Valley Lake, the Golden Apple Forest, Dragon Claw Canyon, and all the other towns. Each town had a large building made of glass, for the King and Queen to stay in during overnight trips.

They spent the next few days exploring the country. They flew over farmland and wilderness. There were lots of other creatures besides dragons. A heard of unicorns ran through the trees bellow, the sky was filled with dragons as well as griffins and giant eagles. When the group flew over Silver Valley Lake they saw mermaids sunning themselves in a quiet cove. Their fishy tails waving through the wate. Fairies darted across the water like insects. Large fire colored Phoenix birds roosted in the trees and on the rocks. At one point Windwalker thought she spotted a giant spider crawling through the shrubbery.

Chris looked down at his home. Memories flooded his mind, some he'd forgotten about. He remembered swimming in the lake and hiking the trails along its shores. And he remembered the town on the northern shore where the lake fed back into the Dragon River, Silver Valley Lake. It was a town that looked okay for most of the year, and beautiful during the winter. At first, it looked like nothing had changed about the entire country. Then they visited the young volcanoes Re had talked about. Dried lava covered the ground from the top of the volcanoes and out to the sea. There were a few small streams of hot runny lava running through the dried lava. The towns within their reach were rebuilding, as it had all been burned down by the volcanos. The lava had burned all the buildings, crops, and wilderness for hundreds of miles.

Re landed on the rim of the volcano he called Dragonfire. They looked down at what was left of Dragon City. The city was completely buried in ash and dried lava. The place looked abandoned. The smell of sulfur lingered in the air. The volcano was filled almost to the brim with fresh magma. Both Chris and Windwalker looked very surprised at the amount of destruction.

"Wow, that is a lot of lava," Windwalker said. "And it completely flattened that town?" She looked a Re.

"In about half an hour too," Re said. "Dragon City is being rebuilt at a different location, farther from the volcano. Luckily no one was killed."

"How recently did it happen?" Chris asked.

"About a month ago," Aurora said. "Dragon City got the worst of it."

"But it's not all bad," Re said. "A town was destroyed, but we got fresh new land. Our country had begun to change."

"I remember Dragon City," Chris said. "Burn was the town leader."

"She still is," said Aurora. "She's overseeing the reconstructions."

"She was pretty amazing when the volcano blew," Tenor said. "She made sure everyone was safely away before she escaped. She's teamed with the leaders of the other two towns that got hit, Apple Grove and Small Town."

"Apple Grove?" Chris said.

"Yeah, they got Mt. Phoenix," Serenity said. "Many houses burned, and many dragons got burned, including Ruby's sister Zircon." She seemed sad by the thought.

"The entire country's pitching in to help rebuild these towns," Re said. "I've used my volcano knowledge to help make the towns more volcano resistant." He looked at Windwalker. "Are you liking it so far?"

"Yes, it's a lot, but it's truly amazing," Windwalker said. "I see why Chris spoke so highly of this place and why every dragon dreams of it." She could feel the heat from the magma on her tail. "We're going to love it here."

"We should get back to the castle," Aurora said. "I see a Hermes Dragon in Chris's room." Chris took a deep breath.

"Already?" he said. "I haven't given a whole lot of thought into it."

"Don't say too much," Aurora warned. "You'll ruin the surprise."

"You still have a few days anyway," Tenor said. "The full moon is not tonight."

"Full moon?" Serenity asked, curious. "What about the full moon?"

"You'll see," Aurora said. "Put it from your mind for now." The dragons spread their wing and headed back for the castle.

When they got there Chris landed on his balcony and dismounted. He went inside and found he Hermes Dragon waiting for him on a table. He went over and untied the little box from the dragon's leg.

"Thanks, you're excused," he told the dragon, and she flew off. Chris opened the little box. The ring he ordered was in he box, gleaming in the daylight, along with a small note that said 'Good Luck'. Chris was determined to not let anything bad happen to it. He went downstairs and placed it into the drawer of his night stand.

"Please don't let me loose this Lord Draco," he prayed quietly.

High in his glass palace Draco watched all this through his seeing pool. He could see the future celebration as clear as day. He'd never seen one in his country. He leaned back in his diamond throne. He thought about going down to Earth for the occasion, but he still had a lot of work to do. He had to design Re and Aurora's future dragonets, create them, and put them in eggs, as well as do the same for Tenor and Windwalker's future dragonet. He also had plans for a young dragonet that would hatch soon, and face a terrible tragedy. He stood up on his diamond throne and flew out the door and headed to his workshop.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

The days went by and the moon got bigger and bigger. Serenity remained blissfully unaware of what was coming her way. She and Chris spent every waking moment together. They rode their dragons to different places throughout the country. They also spent a lot of time on Mt. Vulcan with Windwalker's squadron, who were probably settled by now. Eggs hatched and more were laid. Their neighbors helped them build houses out of the caves on the island. Their neighbors also told them where they could catch the most fish and game.

Before Chris knew it, Tenor told him that the full moon would rise that evening. Chris made sure the ring was safe. He sat at a table and wrote Serenity a small note, to meet him at moonrise at a spot near the wall that closed off the lagoon. He headed for her room.

The castle was empty. Re and Aurora were down at Dragon Claw Canyon, finally burning down all the thorns. Tenor and Windwalker were on Mt. Vulcan. Chris walked though the empty halls to Serenity's door. He found it empty as well. He put the note on the Round Table then left.

Serenity returned sometime later from the library. She set her books down on the table and found the note. She automatically knew who it was from because dragons always used Hermes Dragons. She read it and was very curious. She read her books while she waited for moonrise.

When the sun set she put on a pale blue dress with gold embroidery on the hems, and made her way down through the castle to the entrance hall. Tenor was there waiting for her. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey Tenor," she said, stroking his neck.

"You look like an angel," he said.

"I knew you were going to say that," Serenity said. She hugged him.

"Come on, Chris is waiting," Tenor said.

"Do you know what he's planning?" she asked.

"Yes," Tenor said. "But it'll waste time if I told you." Serenity mounted him and they went outside. The sun was gone and the stars and moon were out. "We're late." Tenor spread his wings and took off.

Chris waited on a hill where he could clearly see the full moon, the lagoon, the wall, Draco's stars, and the castle in the distance. He could also see the island that held Royal Town. This was the perfect spot. The dark grass was glazed in moonlight, as were the nearby bushes and trees.

Soon he heard the beating of wings. He looked up and saw Tenor flying towards him and landed on the grass. Serenity smiled at him.

"Thanks Tenor," Chris said.

"No problem," Tenor said proudly. Chris went to his side. Serenity swung her right leg over the front of the saddle, and slid down into Chris's arms.

"Hi," he said, happily.

"Nice night," Serenity said.

"Indeed it is," Chris said. Just then something black flew above them. Windwalker called down to Tenor, and he called back. He spread his wings and flew up to join her. They flew over the lagoon; two living shadows silhouetted against the stars. Chris pulled something out of his pocket.

"Serenity," he said, a bit nervously. "I've asked out here to ask you something." He took Serenity's hand in his. "I've wanted to ask you this ever since the war with the Song ended. You're my best friend, and I have missed you so much these passed ten years." He handed her a tiny box. "And I don't plan on leaving you ever again." Serenity was speechless. She opened the box with trembling fingers. Inside was a shiny green and blue ring. She gasped at the sight of it.

The ring had a celtic dragon wound around the band. Its head looked a bit like Draco's head, a small diamond was set in its eye. The band was blue and the dragon was green. On the inside of the band the words; Love Dragons, Love You, were engraved.

"It's beautiful," Serenity said, gently.

"Will you marry me Serenity?" Chris asked firmly. "Will you be my wife?" Serenity took a deep breath. She slapped her free hand over her mouth. She seemed very stunned, yet happy. Chris allowed her to recover. She eventually she looked him in the eye.

"I will gladly," she said, laughing happily. "I already see you as family Chris, I alway have." She through her arms around him, and he hugged her back. "I love you." They pulled apart after a while. Chris carefully took the ring out of the box, took Serenity's hand in his, and slid the ring on her ring finger. It fit perfectly, and shone in the moonlight. She admired it with a smile. Chris cupped her face and tilted her head up so she was looking him in the eye, and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around him.

Tenor and Windwalker circled the lagoon. Both the moon and Draco's stars shone down on them. Tenor hovered over the hill. Windwalker pulled up alongside him.

"What is that place?" she asked, pointing at Royal Town Island. Tenor glanced down at it.

"That's Royal Town," Tenor said. "It's Re and Aurora's private island. There's a house for them, one for you and me, one for Serenity and Chris, and one for our future dragonets." Windwalker considered.

"Dragonets," she repeated. "I have fantasized about raising my own dragonet."

"I have at times too," Tenor said. "I always hoped that any dragonet of mine has a different childhood than I did, a better one." Windwalker looked at him with sympathy.

"I can understand that," she said. She flew down and landed on Royal Town. She stood at the base of a massive oak tree. Several huge tree houses wound throughout the tree, all made from a golden wood and all linked by bridges. At the moment the tree houses were dark and quiet. The rest of the small island had a few smaller trees, sand, and tall grass. There were no mountains, just rolling hills and wild flowers. Tenor landed beside her.

"Tree houses," Windwalker said, intrigued.

"Yes," Tenor said. "And it's right beside the beach, it's one of my favorite spots in the country."

"Which spot is yours?" Windwalker asked. Without saying anything Tenor took off and headed for one of the tree houses. Windwalker followed him and they landed on a landing platform in front of an octagon shaped tree house right beside the main trunk of the tree with a domed ceiling. A thick tree branch supported the tree house, and a slightly smaller branch went up though the roof. Inside there was a large sleeping stone next to the branch, all black from Tenor breathing fire on it. Strings of sliver stars hung from the midnight blue ceiling, along with a silver crescent moon. It had a few large windows in the walls and ceiling. Draco's stars were square in one of the ceiling windows. It felt cozy.

"This one's mine," Tenor said. "Well, ours now." Windwalker smiled. Just then she heard Chris calling her, and Serenity calling for Tenor.

"We need to get back," she said. She and Tenor took off again and headed back to the hill. Chris and Serenity were waiting for them, hand in hand. The two dragons landed beside their respective riders. Tenor was quick to notice the sparkling ring on Serenity's finger. He smiled.

"So your dreams are coming true it seems," he said.

"Yes," Serenity said cheerfully. "There's just one more thing needed."

"Children," Windwalker said. Serenity nodded.

"But I can wait a little longer," she said. She took a step closer to Chris and gripped his hand in hers.

"We should head back in, and get some rest," Chris said.

"And then we'll go out fishing," Tenor said. Serenity and Chris mounted their dragons and flew back to the castle. Its towers gleamed silver in the moonlight. Tenor and Windwalker landed in front of the large doors. Re and Aurora were there, having returned to from Dragon Claw Canyon for the moment. They smiled warmly when the two nightly dragons landed and Serenity and Chris dismounted. Chris hugged his parents, and they hugged him back with warm, open wings. Serenity stayed beside Tenor and stroked his neck, smiling. The family was back together again, and slightly bigger with Windwalker. Both the moon and Draco's stars watched them, shining comfortingly. Chris soon turned back to his fiancé and put an arm around her. Re and Aurora potted the ring on Serenity's finger, that shone like one of Draco's stars.

"Welcome home," Re said. "I'm glad things went well."

"Thanks Dad," Chris said. "I am glad to be home at last." Tenor and Windwalker flew off for their fishing trip. Chris took Serenity by the hand, and led her into the castle. Re and Aurora followed them, entwining their tails together. The full moon shone down on the castle, and two black silhouettes flew across it.


	18. Chapter 18 Epilogue

Epilogue

For the next several months, Serenity and Chris planned their wedding with the dragons' help. Aurora insisted that she design Serenity's wedding dress. They set the date for late spring so they could have it outdoors. Re sent a Hermes Dragon to Berk with a few innovations as well as a note for Hiccup asking him to be the marriage official. Re was merciful by telling Hiccup well in advance and giving him ideas on what to say. Hiccup agreed to do it, and spent his free time practicing. All the Berkian Riders and their dragons planned to come. Re and Aurora eagerly accepted the challenge of planning a big wedding, since it would be the only one on Draconian turf.

Chris and Serenity spent every second, day and night, together. They rode their dragons around the country, and out to Mt. Vulcan. Serenity had never had another soul to fly with during Chris's absence. The other riders didn't really treat her as one of them; though they did respect her and value her skills. She told Chris all this as they looked town at Windwalker's squadron form the rim of the caldera.

"You were just too different for them?" Chris asked.

"Yeah," Serenity said. "You would have fitted in better since you fight. The only thing I had in common with those riders was a passion for dragons." Chris smiled sympathetically at her.

"I really didn't have anyone to fly with either," he said comfortingly. "But that's all over now." Serenity smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. He put an arm around her. The dragons flew around the mountain.

They slept together in the same bed almost every night. They fell asleep talking about what their wedding would look like in the end. They also brainstormed for their mating song. They wanted it to be a bit shorter than most, but still vary beautiful. Serenity enjoyed planning the wedding. But she didn't really get to help design very much of it. Chris and the dragons wanted most of it to be a surprise for her. She tried to not show her frustration, and spent time in the library every time the planning was going on. Tenor noticed she wasn't happy about being left out, so he took her flying so she wasn't cooped in the library all day.

Then before long, the wedding was one day away. Chris and Serenity were very excited. The vikings and their dragons were due to arrive later that night and camp on the castle's lawn. Hiccup had made a second ring for Chris that matched Serenity's, and sent it. His ring had a black and gold dragon wrapped around the silver band, with a topaz gem for the dragon's eye.

As the sun set Serenity watched the vikings set up camp from the balcony of Chris's room. Campfires flickered on the dark lawn. She could see the all the dragons except for Toothless. She knew he was down there, but he was so black he blended in with the dark grass. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Chris asked. "You don't look happy." Serenity sighed.

"I'm just nervous about tomorrow," she said. She face him, and took his hand in hers.

"To be honest, I am too," Chris said. "But we'll be together."

"Yes, and I'm excited for that," Serenity said. "I've waited all my life to marry you, and I thought the opportunity would never come." Chris gently stroked her cheek.

"This could be the last night you sleep alone," he said.

"I am glad of that," Serenity said, leaning into his touch.

"You should get to bed," Chris said. "You'll need your rest for tomorrow."

"Will you walk me to my door?" Serenity asked. Chris gripped her hand in his.

"Sure," he said.

They went down through the castle. They said very little and stayed very close to each other. Soon they arrived at Serenity's bedroom door. Chris turned to face her.

"I hope you sleep well," he said. He stroked her face again, tracing the scar on her cheek with his finger. She smiled.

"I love you Chris," she said. "Have a good night." She hugged him, and kissed his cheek. She then turned and went into her room. Chris returned to his room, and went to bed.

In the morning the dragons and vikings all pitched in with setting up for the wedding. The vikings set up the benches on either side of the aisle while the dragons set up the alter. Everyone was talking excitedly. During the set up, Re and Tenor flew up to Chris's room and Aurora and Windwalker flew up to Serenity's room. All the royal dragons had cleaned themselves up for the occasion. They were just wearing their crowns, but had polished their scales. Windwalker still refused decoration, but had polished her scales as well.

Re and Tenor landed on the bridge outside Chris's room and Re wrapped his claws on the door. At first there was no answer. Re wrapped on the door again, louder. There came a groan.

"Are you up yet!?" Re called. There came another groan. Re narrowed his eyes. He opened the door and Tenor followed him inside. Chris was still asleep. His wedding suit folded neatly on a chair. Both Re and Tenor tried rousing him, but he just rolled over and ignored them. Re then wrapped his tail around Chris's leg and dragged him out of bed, and that woke him up. He sat up and yawned.

"Come on, get up it's time to get dressed," Re said, sounding amused. Chris jumped to his feet, wide awake. Tenor tossed him his clothes.

"Thanks," Chris said sheepishly.

"We'll come back in ten minuets," Tenor said. The two dragons left and flew back down to the lawn. There they met back up with Aurora and Windwalker.

"Serenity's eating breakfast," Aurora said.

"Chris is getting dressed," Tenor said. "Re had to drag him out of bed."

"I've had to do that in the past," Windwalker, taking her place at his side. "He's a very heavy sleeper. "Serenity's very different from him. She's a much lighter sleeper."

"Indeed," Tenor said. "But she's a lot harder to wake up when she's sick. It's kind of scary." Just then Toothless and Hiccup joined them.

"Is everything ready?" Hiccup asked.

"Everything down here is," Aurora said. "We're just waiting for the bride and groom."

And they waited for a short twenty minuets. Then Re, Tenor, Aurora, and Windwalker split up again to get the bride and groom. The crowed chatted excitedly while they waited. The Berkians were very excited that Serenity was getting married. She had been on her own ever since she'd first landed on Berk. They felt that she had defiantly earned this.

Soon Re and Tenor flew back down with a very nervous-looking Chris. They landed on the alter, and Chris got off Re. He was dressed in a white long-sleeved tunic with black embroidery and a matching cape that had a black Night Fury insignia on it. A black belt was at his waist, that had the Draconian crest on the golden buckle. He stood between Re and Hiccup. Now it was just Serenity that needed to come down. Chris was pretty sure she would be just as nervous, if not more nervous than he was. She would be the one coming down the aisle with everyone's eyes on her. He was excited, however, to see what she would look like. She would be beautiful naturally, but she would probably look very different.

Everyone talked loudly. All too soon they heard a roar from the front doors. The crowd fell silent and turned around. The doors opened and Serenity stepped out into the sunlight. She was wearing a white satin, strapless dress that seemed to absorb the sunlight that shone on it. On her left hip were silk blue flowers and green silk leaves that each had sapphires and emeralds sewn into them. Surrounding the flowers was green and blue embroidery branched out like blood vessels from a heart. They curled and looped clear to the other side. On her head was a tiara made of white gold and glittering diamonds. A long veil was attached to it and flowed in the breeze. She clutched a bouquet of daisies tightly in her hands. She looked as beautiful as new fallen snow in the bright sunlight. Everyone had squint at her to keep from going blind. She walked slowly towards the alter, Aurora and Windwalker were walking behind her. Chris could hardly believe his eyes; the most beautiful girl in the world was about to be his wife.

His mind went back to when he first saw her. She had just been brought to the castle; cut, bleeding, and terrified. She was very shy but friendly. It was a complete contrast from how she looked now. Now she was a grown woman, so fine and bright. She was still shy, but she was very happy.

Soon she reached the alter and Chris held his hand out for her. She handed her bouquet to Aurora and put her hand in his. She stepped up beside him, her cheeks turned pink. They faced Hiccup as he began the ceremony. For a while he was the only one talking. When he was done with the introduction, he looked at Serenity for her to begin her vows. She took a deep breath and recited her vows.

"Chris, ever since we were little, we always had a connection," she said. "We share a deep bond, much like the ones we share for the dragons we ride. Every time we got in trouble, you always took the blame for me. I didn't get why you would purposefully want to get in trouble because of me, but as I grew older I finally knew the answer. You cared about me. Even though I came up with most of those ideas, our bond grew stronger every time you took the blame. You are my best friend. We have shared many things together, and I am happy that we are able to share this moment together, in each other's hands. I have seen you at your best and at your worst, and I have been there to support you all the time. And that strengthened our bond as well. There is a saying that I thought would best explain the love I feel for you. 'I saw that you were perfect and so I loved you. Then I saw that you were not perfect and I loved you even more'. I vow to always be by your side. Whatever obstacle lies ahead of us, I will make sure we get through it. I look to you for strength, for joy, for support, just as much as you do to me. And I am more than happy to support and be supported by you Chris." She took another deep breath and relaxed now that her part was over. Chris grasped her free hand in his free hand and recited his vows.

"Serenity," he said gently. "When I realized that I was being raised by dragons, I knew that I was going to be different for the rest of my life. I thought I was going to be alone, but then, you came along. You made my life enjoyable. You have made me laugh, cry, angry, and so on. But I wouldn't trade any of that. You have helped me define who I was and who I am now. The only thing I regret is leaving you those 10 years of your life. But I thank Lord Draco that they have brought us together once again. Once I saw your face, I couldn't let you go. Once I saw you, some type of instinct awoke in me. I need to protect you from all harm. When you came back into my life, a new feeling overwhelmed me. It was the feeling of love. The love I have for you! You are my best friend, and when we reunited, I felt we have become something more. We are like two sides of the same coin. We compliment and bring out the best in each other. I could never ask for a better person to love, and share my life with. And what constantly amazes me is how you continue to not give up on me. I am grateful that you love me back. I am grateful that we can be something more than just best friends. I am grateful that I can call you 'my wife'. I am grateful that I will be the one to hold you in my arms. I am grateful you choose to depend on me, as I do to you. I vow that I will always be there for you. No matter how great the distance, or how dangerous the peril. I will love you unconditionally. Even though I may be a hero to others, but you Serenity, you are my hero. You always have, and always will be." He finished with a smile. They looked at Hiccup again and he began the ring exchange. Tenor came forward with the two rings on a pillow. Chris first took Serenity's ring and slid it onto her ring finger. Serenity then took Chris's ring off the pillow and slid it onto his ring finger. She stroked her dragon's neck, and he stepped back. Once the rings were on, and everyone's hearts were racing, Hiccup cleared his throat and pronounced Chris and Serenity husband and wife. Chris cupped Serenity's face and pressed his lips to hers. Serenity kissed him back, put her arms around his neck. The audience cheered, humans clapped and dragons roared.

After several minuets the two separated and faced everyone. Christ smiled wider as he looked at Serenity again. This beautiful girl was now his. She smiled back at him, her eyes sparking with happiness. Chris led her from the alter and towards the great hall. Everyone followed them. When they were all gathered in the great hall everyone distrust. Many of the guests congratulated the bride and groom. Serenity hugged all her dragon friends.

Later Serenity gathered all the single women at the base of the platform where the thrones sat. She explained to them about the bouquet toss. When they were all gathered and excited, Serenity turned her back to them. She clutched her bouquet of daisies in both hands. Then she tossed it over her head towards the crowd behind her. She heard an uproar of chaos behind her as everyone scrambled to get the bouquet. She turned around just in time to see Astrid catch it, beaming. She smiled up at Serenity, who smiled back. Serenity stepped off the platform and stopped beside one of the tables that held a barrel of water, and watched her new husband conversing with Hiccup, Toothless, Aurora, and the other Berkian dragons. Just then Astrid and Stormfly.

"So where'd you learn that tradition?" Astrid asked.

"In Rome," Serenity said. "I watched a bouquet toss. It was at night and I was riding Tenor then, so I was able to hide in plain sight."

"That's a beautiful dress by the way," Astrid said.

"Thank you," Serenity said. "Aurora made it." Astrid followed her gaze.

"Will you be there when I marry Hiccup?" she asked. Serenity smiled.

"I sure will," she said.

"I'm kind of surprised that you got married before me, seeing you've been on your own all these years," Astrid said. "But I don't see it as a bad thing. Do you plan to have kids?"

"Yes," said Serenity, placing a hand on her abdomen. "But just one. I want to keep doing my job. What about you?" Astrid considered.

"I don't know, I'm not exactly the motherly type," she said.

"You never now, you might learn something about yourself, since you're going to marry a chief," Serenity said. "When are you going to marry him?"

"I hope soon," Astrid said, sounding annoyed. "I'll bust his jaw if he doesn't ask me soon."

"There'll be no talk of violence at my wedding," Serenity said with authority.

"Sorry," said Astrid. Stormfly nudged Serenity's shoulder. She stroked the Nadder's beak. "What are you going to do after all this?"

"We have a cliff house on Mt. Vulcan," Serenity said. "Chris and I will be spending a month there." She sounded so excited about it.

"Just you and him?" Astrid asked.

"And the dragons," said Serenity. "This whole wedding is dedicated to them. Our lives would be nothing without them."

"I hear that," Astrid said. "Hiccup and I would not have had a relationship if it weren't for Toothless. Dragons are the best." Serenity smiled and patted Stormfly's beak again. Astrid looked back over at the guys, who were still talking.

"So if Hiccup did your wedding, who will do ours?" she asked.

"Re's going to do it I believe," Serenity said.

"Wedded by a dragon," Astrid said in wonderment. "I like the sound of that." Serenity smiled wider.

As the sun started to set everyone gathered on the front lawn, that had been cleared of the alter and all the chairs, to see the bride and groom off. Chris scooped Serenity up into his arms and carefully put her on Windwalker's saddle. He got on behind her. Windwalker spread her wings and took off. Tenor followed them and they flew over the castle and over the lagoon.

They sang songs as they headed over the ocean towards Mt. Vulcan. They flew higher as they left the mainland behind. The sun vanished beneath the horizon and the sky turned yellow and pink. Soon Mt. Vulcan came into view and they went in for landing.

They landed on a tall cliff made of dried lava, in front of a door set right into the hill, leading into the cliff face. Serenity slid off and Chris dismounted.

"I'll go get these saddles off, then I'll meet you on top of the hill," Chris said.

"All right," Serenity said. She went up the hill towards the edge of cliff. Chris unlocked the door and entered the house that was set right into the side of the cliff, overlooking the ocean. The two dragons followed him. They went down the short hallway and entered the one massive room that made up the whole house. A massive window made up the back wall, like many of the rooms in the castle. A king sized bed sat in the middle of the room facing the window. A lounge sat at one end of the room, and at the other end were two large wardrobes and two changing screens.

Chris got the saddles off the two dragons and put them on a pair of saddle racks near the front door, and hung his cape. Once that was done they all went back outside. Tenor and Windwalker took off for a fishing trip. The sky had turn a vivid red by now. Chris went up the hill where he found Serenity watching the ocean below, her wedding dress billowed in the sea breeze. Draco's stars had come out all ready, the Dragon God giving them his best wishes. As Chris approached her he started singing.

 _"My dearest friend, if you don't mind I'd like do join you by side, where we can gaze into the stars."_

Serenity smiled at him, as he took each of her hands in each of his. She sang the rest of the song with him.

 _"And sit together now and forever, for it is plain as anyone can see. We're simply meant to be."_

As their betrothal song ended, Serenity wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. Chris kissed her back as Draco's stars twinkled happily down at them.


End file.
